An internal probe has found that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) failed to act on intelligence before the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, despite detecting warning signs, according to Israeli news broadcaster Channel 14.
The report stated that IAF monitoring units noticed unusual activity from Hamas in the hours before the attacks began. They detected abnormal transmission signals from Gaza, suggesting preparations for a strike. However, this information “remained inside the Air Force” and was never shared with higher command or other branches of the Israeli military.
By 2:30am, alerts of “abnormal activity” triggered calls between operations officers. Some were told to prepare, but no decisive field actions were taken. Shockingly, Air Force commander Tomer Bar “remained asleep until 5am without receiving a single call,” Channel 14 reported. The IAF intelligence system detected live signals from Gaza but failed to raise the alert level or activate emergency protocols. The army was left “caught in unprecedented dormancy” as the attack began.
Air Force breakdown
The internal investigation highlighted severe lapses in decision-making and information sharing. Despite receiving intelligence that was “enough to raise the army’s alert status,” no emergency orders were issued. Aircraft and crews were not placed on standby, and no operational response was launched in the hours leading up to the Hamas assault.
The initial version of the probe, shown to senior IAF leadership in early 2024, reportedly caused “internal shock.” It directly cited negligence and documented multiple failures in passing along actionable intelligence. However, much of that language was softened or removed in later drafts, according to the report. A “cleaner, softer” version was ultimately presented.
The lack of coordination between military branches, the delay in escalating alerts, and the failure to communicate between intelligence and operations units all contributed to the catastrophic unpreparedness. It adds to the growing list of institutional failures now under scrutiny.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
Leadership reactions
The October 7 events have been widely acknowledged within Israel as a historic failure across military, political, and intelligence sectors. Leaked audio previously captured former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi expressing admiration for the “deception” employed by Hamas. Current Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was more direct, stating that the army “failed in its mission to protect the state and its citizens” on that day.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is advocating for an official state inquiry but has made it clear that such a process should not assign him personal blame. His critics have described this as “hysterical attempts to escape accountability.”
Earlier in the year, a civilian panel concluded that Netanyahu had personally failed in his duty, stating that he “led the country into the greatest disaster in its history.”
The aftermath of the October 7 attacks in 2023 has triggered a devastating Israeli military response in Gaza. Nearly 69,000 Palestinians have been killed according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the majority of them women and children. More than 170,000 others have been injured.
The scale of the offensive has rendered much of Gaza uninhabitable. Cities and infrastructure have been flattened, and humanitarian agencies have raised alarms about the long-term impact of displacement, destruction, and trauma on the population.
As investigations into the occupying Israeli military’s lack of readiness continue, the broader consequences of that day are still unfolding within Israel and across the region. The IAF’s failure to act is just one part of a deeper crisis of accountability confronting Israel both internally and internationally.
