Hamas operation to be remembered as Israeli intel failure 'for ages'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
7 Oct 2023 19:12
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Several Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, faced open criticism on social media and other platforms over this massive failure.

Rockets are fired toward "Israel" from the Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against "Israel" (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Writer Peter Beaumont on Saturday described Hamas's operation against "Israel" as a major intelligence failure "for the ages," he writes for The Guardian, adding that the retaliation coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war.

According to Beaumont, the reason why this particular operation is surprising is because "Israel's" surveillance of Palestine is not only exceptionally advanced but also deeply intrusive. Surveilling Hamas's activities particularly stands out as one of the most critical objectives for the security establishment.

How advanced is "Israel's" surveillance activities?

Whistleblowers from the IOF's Cyberwarfare 8200 Unit, as disclosed to various media outlets in 2014, detailed the extensive efforts to identify potential informants in the occupied Palestinian territories. They were instructed to target individuals facing financial or health difficulties and those vulnerable due to sexual misconduct.

Similar methods were applied during entry and exit interviews for Palestinians allowed to leave the coastal strip. Additionally, intelligence efforts were directed toward members of militant groups in Israeli prisons.

Given "Israel's" advanced surveillance technology, including the Pegasus spyware scandal, the fact that they were unaware of Hamas's planned operation is particularly astonishing.

Hamas has displayed an increased ability to adapt to military challenges and meticulously plan its operations, which is well-recognized by the IOF.

Despite previous knowledge of Hamas developing independent communication networks and military strategies, this recent operation suggests a higher level of operational security, unprecedented in previous conflicts, Beaumont believes.

Some observers argue that Hamas likely used deception and simultaneous attacks, including rockets and infiltrations, to create maximum chaos.

However, it's evident that there were missed signs of preparation at various stages, including planning and stockpiling.

Unpreparedness

The most critical oversight occurred in the immediate lead-up to the Hamas retaliation when resistance fighters gathered near the border, despite the presence of regular patrols, cameras, ground motion sensors, and remote-controlled weaponry that had been effective in thwarting past border incursions.

This implies that the operation required extensive and well-concealed preparations, similar to previous surprise infiltration attacks by Hamas, including tunnel-based incursions into "Israel."

Notably, Israeli occupation forces and intelligence agencies failed to recognize recent incidents involving Hamas as a prelude to war.

Even as clashes persisted with Hamas resistance fighters in southern settler communities, the Israeli media questioned how such a situation could unfold on the 50th anniversary of the October 1973 War, which itself was remembered as a significant intelligence failure when "Israel" faced an attack from an Arab coalition.

"All of Israel is asking itself: Where is the [IOF], where is the police, where is the security?" asked Eli Maron, the former head of the Israeli navy, on live television. "It’s a colossal failure; the hierarchies have simply failed, with vast consequences."

Several Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, faced open criticism on social media and other platforms over this massive failure. The silence from officials was only broken when Security Minister Yoav Gallant made an appearance.

A decisive moment for "Israel"

This attack coincides with a period of significant social upheaval in "Israel." Netanyahu's far-right government, featuring individuals in cabinet positions with controversial backgrounds, has exacerbated tensions in the occupied territories. Netanyahu's divisive conflict over his plans to weaken the country's supreme court, coupled with his ongoing legal proceedings for corruption allegations, has dominated public discourse and led many reservists to threaten to withhold their service.

When Netanyahu eventually spoke, he conveyed a sense of profound disturbance within the Israeli political and security establishment. He refrained from characterizing the situation as merely an "operation" or a "round" of fighting, instead labeling it as a state of war.