Israeli Ministers' Whereabouts on October 7th Under Scrutiny

An investigation by the "Shomrim" investigative center, published by Ynet, has examined the schedules of Israeli ministers on October 7, 2023, to determine their activities during the Hamas attack. The report reveals significant delays in response and a lack of initiative from many ministers, with civil society organizations often filling the void.

Out of 32 ministers, 20 did not respond to requests for their schedules, and most of the 12 who did provide partial or selective information. The ministers were categorized based on their response times. Many had no entries in their calendars until the government meeting at 6 PM, nearly 12 hours after the attack began. Some ministers, like Energy Minister Israel Katz, initially refused to release their calendars, which were only obtained after legal action. His schedule showed only government meetings, with no documented activity related to his ministerial responsibilities until much later.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi stated he was in a safe room receiving updates, but his calendar entries were sparse. He described witnessing bodies on the road during his journey to a government meeting. Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman's calendar listed numerous calls to local authorities and security services, but provided little detail on her actions. Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a former Shin Bet chief, claimed he sought to join combat units but was restricted by security. His schedule also showed gaps before the cabinet meeting.

Ministers like Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli had entries that raised questions, with parts of their schedules redacted for "security reasons" or vague descriptions of their activities. Health and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, an ultra-Orthodox minister, stated he left prayer services upon learning of the attack and went to his ministry's operations room, but acknowledged a delay in his response due to Shabbat observance.

Ministers who were abroad, such as Transportation Minister Miri Regev (on private vacation in Mexico) and Economy Minister Nir Barkat (on an official visit to Japan), faced criticism for their absence. Barkat's schedule was empty for days, though his office claimed he conducted urgent calls from Japan and immediately engaged in security efforts upon his return. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who did not release his schedule, was reported to have been preparing for a bike ride when informed of the attack and immediately began coordinating reservist call-ups and declaring a state of emergency.

Some ministers, like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, were involved in early meetings and political discussions, including expressing concerns about public demands for resignation. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir held a situation assessment meeting at police headquarters at 10 AM, but the timing was questioned given the early start of the conflict. The report highlights a general pattern of delayed responses, a lack of proactive engagement, and reliance on information from outside official channels for many ministers in the initial hours of the attack.