Rafael Hayon Highlights Unanswered Questions on October 7 Hamas Attack and Israeli Response
Rafael Hayon, a civilian intelligence officer who warned about Hamas's armament and preparations before the October 7 massacre, shares his insights and recordings from that tragic day. In a recent interview, Hayon stresses the need for a thorough investigation by a future commission to address unresolved questions about Israel's handling of its enemies, including Hamas and Iran. He points out a tacit coordination between the US and Israel in their military responses, noting that American strikes focus on southern Iran while Israel targets southern Lebanon, avoiding more sensitive areas like Beirut's Dahieh to prevent escalation.
Hayon recalls the Israeli military's limited responses to Hamas provocations before October 7, such as firing on what was officially called a Hamas military position but was actually a simple observation post. He personally documented Hamas militants dismantling and relocating equipment ahead of Israeli strikes, demonstrating their preparedness. He contrasts this with the severe Israeli reaction that would follow any Hamas attack on Tel Aviv, even if no casualties occurred. Hayon criticizes the Israeli military's pride in killing a senior Hamas figure nearly three years after the massacre, calling it shameful given the delay.
He also references a Hamas exercise in late 2022 that simulated killing all senior leaders and 30,000 members within the first three hours of conflict, illustrating their disregard for human life. Hayon highlights Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei's directive to prepare multiple successors for top officials, underscoring the ruthless mindset. He warns that Hamas continues to smuggle vast amounts of weapons and drones into Gaza, with drones capable of carrying heavy payloads.
Hayon raises critical questions about intelligence failures, including why signals intelligence monitoring of Hamas was halted before the attack and why the Shin Bet did not investigate Gaza-based workers with access to Israeli military bases who were later found to be Hamas operatives. He calls for accountability from military officials, including a senior officer who recently left the army. He shares recordings from the morning of October 7, revealing the shock and paralysis within the Israeli military, and recounts his unsuccessful attempts to mobilize forces to stop Hamas militants.
Hayon denies any betrayal but condemns military negligence and arrogance that allowed Hamas to grow unchecked. He also notes that several senior military and political figures promised to visit his communications command center before the attack but never did, which he sees as further evidence of disregard. Despite the frustrations, Hayon expresses his love for the Israeli people and hopes a real investigative committee will provide answers.
This interview is part of a series exploring unanswered questions about the October 7 massacre and Israel's preparedness, following previous installments by Smadar Segal, Micha Kobi, and Rami Davidian.
