Netanyahu Reportedly Refused to Review October 7 Investigations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly refused to review the military's investigations into the failures leading up to the October 7th Hamas attacks, according to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth. The Prime Minister's office sent a letter on February 27, 2025, stating Netanyahu had not received the investigations, a claim the military disputes, stating he never requested them and that Defense Minister Israel Katz also never raised the issue.

The military had previously offered to brief Netanyahu on the findings before they were made public, but he showed no interest. The IDF Chief of Staff's office attempted to schedule a meeting, and the General Staff prepared to present the investigations, but no meeting took place. Following this, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi resigned, and Netanyahu's office did not follow up to schedule a briefing or request written copies.

Former security officials expressed shock at Netanyahu's recent statements on Channel 14, where he claimed he wasn't woken on October 7th "to avoid miscalculation with Hamas." The report contradicts this, stating that records show Netanyahu himself ordered military actions to be withheld against Hezbollah, Iran, and Hamas on multiple occasions, using the phrase "miscalculation" in closed discussions.

Netanyahu's office released his timeline for the morning of October 7th, asserting it was to counter "misleading reports." This timeline states he ordered the Gaza border sealed at 9:55 AM, over three hours after the Hamas assault began. His timeline also indicates he arrived at the Ministry of Defense and IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv at 7:30 AM, speaking with then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who reported an unclear situation. Netanyahu then ordered situation assessment discussions, which he was to chair.

However, Shin Bet recordings place Netanyahu's arrival at the headquarters at 8:22 AM, not 8:00 AM as stated in his timeline. At 8:40 AM, Gallant held discussions with the IDF Chief of Staff and Shin Bet head to formulate a situation report for Netanyahu's meeting, during which he received intelligence and field reports. A source familiar with the matter suggested Netanyahu's avoidance of the investigation details allows him to maintain his narrative without being constrained by facts.