Military report confirms systemic intelligence and operational breakdowns, but Netanyahu’s coalition rejects calls for a state inquiry, citing political concerns.
JERUSALEM – Israel’s military chief has called for a comprehensive, system-wide investigation into the security and intelligence failures that enabled Hamas’s devastating October 7 attack, escalating pressure on a government that has so far resisted establishing an official state inquiry.
The appeal from Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday followed the release of findings from an internal military-appointed committee, which concluded that despite possessing high-quality intelligence, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) failed to take necessary actions to prevent the deadliest attack in the nation’s history.
“A broad and comprehensive systemic investigation is now necessary,” Zamir stated, emphasizing that the internal military review, while significant, was insufficient to address all institutional failures.
The call for accountability is supported by a majority of Israelis across the political spectrum, according to polls. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government has delayed forming an independent state commission, arguing it would be premature while the war in Gaza continues.
Political Stalemate Blocks National Inquiry
In a parliamentary session on Monday, Netanyahu accused the political opposition of seeking to use a commission of inquiry as a “political tool.” He counter-proposed a U.S.-style 9/11 Commission model based on “broad national consensus,” a suggestion immediately rejected by opposition leaders.
The political deadlock occurs against the backdrop of the government’s ongoing conflict with the judiciary. Under Israeli law, a state commission must be appointed by the Supreme Court—an institution the current coalition has repeatedly accused of bias and previously sought to weaken through its contentious judicial overhaul plan.
Internal Military Report Confirms Systemic Failure
The newly released military report acknowledged a “long-standing systemic and organizational failure” within the IDF. It found that Hamas’s surprise assault “occurred against the backdrop of high-quality and exceptional intelligence” that various military units already possessed.
“From an internal military perspective, it is evident that despite the warning, the necessary military actions were not taken,” the report stated, confirming a “complete failure” to prevent the attack, as earlier internal investigations had found.
The October 7 attack killed 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 69,179 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
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