Netanyahu's October 7th Schedule Revealed Amidst Controversy

The Prime Minister's Office has released a detailed timeline of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's activities on the morning of October 7th, aiming to counter what it calls "erroneous reports." The newly disclosed schedule presents discrepancies with previously known records, raising questions about decision-making and response times during the initial, critical hours of the Hamas attack.

According to the timeline, Netanyahu received his first update from the military secretary at 6:29 AM. In a subsequent call at 6:44 AM, he questioned the lack of early intelligence warnings and raised the need for extensive reserve mobilization and targeted elimination of Hamas leadership. Netanyahu departed for the Prime Minister's residence in the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv at 7:30 AM, arriving around 8:00 AM, though Shin Bet records indicate an 8:22 AM arrival.

Significantly, the new schedule shows that Netanyahu convened his first situation assessment meeting in the Kirya's underground bunker only at 9:55 AM. This occurred nearly three hours after the attack began and after images of terrorists in Sderot were already circulating online. During this meeting, he ordered a complete closure of the border to prevent kidnappings and mandated full reserve mobilization, contrary to the IDF's recommendation for partial mobilization.

The released schedule also highlights inconsistencies with a previously revealed diary regarding arrival times at the Kirya. It confirms that the second phone call took place at 6:44 AM, refuting earlier claims of an earlier time. The timeline details further updates and meetings throughout the morning, including a discussion at 9:55 AM where Netanyahu instructed full reserve call-ups and preparations for war, including the northern front.