Former Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has publicly acknowledged important intelligence and strategic failures leading up to the October 7th Hamas attacks, the deadliest single day in Israeli history. In a recently surfaced recording,Halevi detailed how Israel’s defense establishment underestimated Hamas and permitted conditions that contributed to the surprise assault,a topic of intense scrutiny as the conflict in Gaza continues. Halevi’s assessment, shared with families of victims, points to a systemic miscalculation of hamas’s intentions and capabilities in the weeks before the attack.
Former Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has publicly detailed critical missteps leading up to the October 7th attack by Hamas, acknowledging a systemic failure of Israeli defenses. The revelations come as Israel continues to grapple with the aftermath of the deadliest attack in the nation’s history and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In a previously unaired recording broadcast Sunday evening by Israel’s Channel 12, Halevi stated that Israel’s defense establishment was effectively “lulled to sleep” by Hamas. He made the assessment while speaking to families of victims of the October 7th attacks.
Halevi further explained that allowing Hamas to manage civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip and receive funding from abroad was a “strategic mistake” made by Tel Aviv, according to reports in the Times of Israel.
According to Halevi, Hamas constructed a “complex deception mechanism” by presenting requests for work permits, aid arrangements, and infrastructure projects. This, he said, convinced Israeli political and military officials, as well as international actors, that the group prioritized civilian welfare and had no intention of launching armed attacks against Israel.
Regarding the October 7th attack itself, Halevi indicated that there were “warning signals” regarding Hamas movements in the weeks leading up to the incursion. A junior intelligence analyst reportedly flagged a “sharp change in the movement’s training patterns,” but her warning was not taken seriously.
Instead, the Israeli military establishment became convinced that Hamas did not want to engage in armed conflict, particularly after observing the group policing Gazan civilians involved in protests and unrest near the border fence in the weeks prior.
Halevi stated he received a phone call around 3:10 a.m. on October 7th regarding “suspicious signs” in Gaza, but initial assessments from the military and the Shin Bet security agency indicated “everything was routine.” He believes Hamas “neutralized sensors and infiltrated under the radar” before carrying out the attack.
He described the events of the morning of October 7th as a “failure of the Israeli army,” taking personal responsibility for the outcome. Halevi also dismissed conspiracy theories suggesting elements within the defense establishment knew about Hamas’s plans and allowed the attack to proceed.
Halevi resigned from his position as Chief of Staff in January, and was succeeded by Eyal Zamir. In his resignation statement, he said he left the military “after realizing his responsibility for the failure of the Israeli army on October 7th.”
