Former IDF Chief Halevi Calls Oct. 7 a Preventable Failure

Translated & summarized from N12 by baba

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Hebrew · 8 newsrooms covering

Former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi described the October 7th Hamas attack as a "preventable failure" during a conference in New York. He stated that the prevailing view in Israeli security and political circles was that Hamas did not want war. Halevi asserted that military pressure in Gaza was essential for hostage release and acknowledged that Israeli actions unintentionally harmed hostages. He also noted that Hamas actively worked to mislead Israel about its intentions.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Former IDF Chief Herzi Halevi called the October 7th attack a "preventable failure."
Halevi stated that Israeli security and political leaders believed Hamas did not want war.
He asserted that military pressure in Gaza was necessary for the release of hostages.
Halevi acknowledged that Israeli bombs unintentionally killed hostages.
He noted that Hamas actively worked to mislead Israel about its intentions.
Halevi mentioned looking at a photo of Shiri Bibas and seeing fear in her eyes.

Former IDF Chief Halevi Calls Oct. 7 a Preventable Failure — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated that the October 7th Hamas attack was a "preventable failure." Speaking at an anti-Semitism conference in New York, Halevi reflected on the surprise assault and the ongoing war, noting that the perception within the IDF, Shin Bet, and the political echelon was that Hamas did not desire war. He emphasized that the military's actions in Gaza were crucial for the return of hostages, asserting that without significant military pressure, their release would not have been possible.

Halevi addressed the possibility of betrayal, stating, "The political echelon and the political leadership must say this loudly and clearly. I know how October 7th happened down to the smallest details. I also know the people and do not believe that any of my colleagues, after decades of service in which they risked their lives, would decide one day to help Hamas." He explained that helping Hamas would require a large network, and after three years, no such individual has been found.

Reflecting on the events, Halevi said, "As part of the learning and healing process, Israel must complete the investigation and ask difficult questions, as we did in the IDF." He added, "7 October was a failure that could have been prevented. You have to look failure in the eye to be able to fix it. I look at Shiri Bibas's picture and see the fear in her eyes. We were not there in time to help and save her. That is the failure."

Halevi acknowledged that the military took time to convince the political leadership to maneuver in Gaza, breaking away from the pattern of smaller operations based solely on air strikes. He admitted that Israeli bombs unintentionally killed hostages, stating, "Our bombs killed hostages. Of course, it was not intentional. We did not know they were there." He noted an accelerated learning process to improve the ability to accurately locate hostages and prevent such mistakes.

Looking back, Halevi explained that the war in Gaza was delayed because Israel's priorities were Iran, then Hezbollah, and then Hamas, as they did not anticipate Hamas's actions. He stated that Hamas invested heavily in creating the impression that it was focused on governing Gaza and caring for its population, thereby misleading Israeli intelligence. Halevi also mentioned that Yahya Sinwar did everything to surprise Israel and act simultaneously, and that Sinwar was convinced Israel would not maneuver in the Strip due to its perceived complexity. However, he noted that a message was sent to Hezbollah later on October 7th, warning of severe consequences if they made any move.