Netanyahu's October 7th Schedule Under Scrutiny Amidst Criticism

A detailed timeline of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions on the morning of October 7th, released by his office, has raised questions about his responsiveness and decision-making during the initial hours of the Hamas attack. Netanyahu received his first update from his military secretary, Maj. Gen. Avi Gill, at 6:29 AM, informing him of the attack from Gaza. This initial call was via WhatsApp and unrecorded, while a second, recorded call on the secure "red phone" at 6:40 AM lasted four minutes. During these calls, Netanyahu, who was at his home in Caesarea, inquired about eliminating Hamas leadership and whether the attack involved kidnappings, while also asking about the need to mobilize reserves. He reportedly expressed a lack of intelligence indications at the time.

Critics, including former senior defense officials and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, argue that Netanyahu's actions were delayed and lacked initiative. Lapid stated that Netanyahu "barely functioned" until 4:30 PM, initiating no significant actions himself and merely approving proposals from security chiefs. Lapid specifically questioned the 45-minute delay in organizing Netanyahu's convoy to the Prime Minister's Office in Tel Aviv, contrasting it with Lapid's testimony that such a convoy could depart within three minutes. Netanyahu's office claims the convoy was organized, and he departed at 7:30 AM, arriving at the Kirya (military headquarters) at 8:22 AM, nearly two hours after the attack began.

Netanyahu's office released a more detailed timeline, asserting that he was continuously updated and actively involved. According to the office, Netanyahu asked about eliminating Hamas leadership and mobilizing reserves in the 6:44 AM call and ordered a move to the Kirya. Upon arrival at 8:22 AM, he received continuous updates and convened a situation assessment with top security officials at 9:55 AM. During this meeting, despite a lack of a clear picture from professionals, Netanyahu ordered a complete closure of the border, full reserve mobilization (contrary to the IDF's initial recommendation for partial mobilization), and preparation for the northern front. His office stated he declared "We are at war" in a video at 11:00 AM and later instructed the cabinet on plans to destroy invading forces and leverage the situation for hostage negotiations and eliminating Hamas leadership.

However, Netanyahu's advisor, Topaz Lok, tweeted that Netanyahu was the "only one who functioned" and "managed affairs" on October 7th, while the military and Shin Bet leadership were in "unprecedented shock." This claim was met with strong criticism from former defense officials who questioned Lok's access and understanding of the closed-door meetings, deeming his comments "unprecedented audacity." They suggested the focus should be on the broader intelligence failures leading up to the attack, not just the timing of Netanyahu's arrival at the Kirya.