IDF Acknowledges 'Complete Failure' in Preventing Hamas's October 7 Attack
An internal Israeli army investigation into the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, released Thursday, admitted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) experienced a "complete failure" in preventing the assault, which led to the deaths of hundreds of Israelis. A military official briefed reporters, stating that the IDF failed to protect Israeli civilians on that day.
The report highlights how Israeli civilians were left asking, "Where was the IDF?" as they were caught off guard by Hamas militants. The Gaza Division was overrun early in the attack, as Hamas forces seized control and carried out massacres in the region. The military acknowledged its overconfidence and misconceptions about Hamas’s capabilities, failing to anticipate the scale, brutality, and sophistication of the attack.
The IDF probe, which involved 77 separate investigations into incidents at communities, army bases, and confrontation points around the Gaza border, revealed that Hamas executed the attack in three waves. The first wave involved more than 1,000 elite terrorists infiltrating under heavy fire, followed by a second wave of 2,000 militants. The third wave included hundreds more militants and thousands of civilians. In total, around 5,000 Hamas militants infiltrated Israeli territory. The military officials conceded that they did not anticipate such an assault, both in scale and severity, calling the attack a complete surprise to Israel.
IDF Admits 'Greatest Failures' in Hamas's October 7 Attack After Internal Probe
On Thursday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack as one of its "greatest failures" following an internal investigation. The surprise assault, which resulted in hundreds of Israelis dead and many others taken hostage, marked a catastrophic miscalculation by the military. According to an IDF official, the military had underestimated Hamas’s military capabilities for years.
The internal probe, which was shared with reporters, admitted that the IDF failed to protect Israeli civilians during the attack, which triggered an all-out war on Gaza. The official stated that too many civilians died asking, “Where was the IDF?” The Gaza Division was overrun early on, with Hamas militants seizing control and conducting massacres in surrounding communities and roads.
The military admitted to being overconfident and misjudging Hamas's strength ahead of the attack. The investigation included 77 separate inquiries into events at army bases, communities, and confrontation points around the Gaza perimeter, with more inquiries expected to come, including one into an attack at a desert music festival.
The Hamas assault led to 1,218 deaths on the Israeli side, including civilians and hostages, and the hostage situation continues with 58 still held in Gaza. Israel’s retaliatory strikes in Gaza have resulted in at least 48,365 deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
This investigation focused on several key areas, including intelligence failures, military perceptions before October 7, the night prior to the attack, and the IDF's response in the immediate aftermath.
References
- Adams, P. (2025, February 27). Israel’s military publishes first report on 7 October 2023 failures. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyvee8vr7l1o
- Ap. (2025, February 27). October 7 attack: Israel’s Army admits it ‘failed to protect’ civilians. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/israels-army-admits-failed-to-protect-civilians-on-october-7/article69272114.ece
- https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250227-israeli-army-admits-complete-failure-to-prevent-october-7-attacks. (n.d.). https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250227-israeli-army-admits-complete-failure-to-prevent-october-7-attacks
- https://www.idf.il/en/. (n.d.). https://www.idf.il/en/
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-examining https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-examining-siege-plan-hamas-north-gaza-israeli-media-report-2024-09-22/#:~:text=An%20estimated%205%2C000%20Hamas%20militants,that%20it%20was%20being%20examined
- McCready, A., & Uras, U. (2025, February 28). LIVE: Israel, Hamas truce talks resume in Egypt as end of first phase looms. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/2/27
- Wehmeyer, J. (2025, February 10). What we mean when we call something an intelligence failure - war on the rocks. War on the Rocks. https://warontherocks.com/2025/02/what-we-mean-when-we-call-something-an-intelligence-failure/
