Netanyahu Reveals October 7th Schedule for First Time

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed his schedule for the day of the October 7th Hamas attacks for the first time on Thursday. The timeline details his activities from the initial alert to critical security meetings.

At 6:29 AM, the military secretary first informed the Prime Minister of an attack from the Gaza Strip. By 6:44 AM, during a second briefing, Netanyahu questioned why intelligence had not foreseen the attack and asked about the possibility of a large-scale reserve mobilization and eliminating Hamas leadership.

Netanyahu departed for the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv around 7:30 AM, receiving updates from the Defense Minister during his commute, who reported an unclear situation. The Prime Minister instructed that a situation assessment meeting be convened at the underground command center. He arrived at the Kirya around 8:00 AM, though Shin Bet records indicate 8:22 AM.

By 8:40 AM, the Defense Minister met with the IDF Chief of Staff and the head of the Shin Bet to prepare for the meeting with Netanyahu. Between 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM, the Prime Minister received ongoing intelligence and field updates. At 9:47 AM, his military secretary received an assessment document that the Shin Bet chief had prepared at 5:15 AM.

At 9:55 AM, Netanyahu chaired a situation assessment meeting in the command center with the Defense Minister, IDF Chief of Staff, head of the Shin Bet, National Security Advisor, and head of the Operations Directorate. During this meeting, he ordered a complete sealing of the border to prevent hostage transfers to Gaza and further infiltration by terrorists. He rejected the IDF's recommendation for partial reserve mobilization, ordering a full call-up instead, and instructed the issuance of a war order and preparations for the northern front. Following the meeting, he held a limited security consultation with the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief of Staff.