Just three days before Hamas launched its October 7 assault, almost all of the Israeli army’s outposts along the Gaza border failed a surprise inspection, according to a report by Channel 12 news on Wednesday.
The inspection, conducted at 6:30 a.m. on October 4, revealed serious vulnerabilities in the army’s readiness. Only one base in the Gaza Division passed the inspection, while all others were deemed inadequate. Among the failing bases was the Nahal Oz outpost, which later became a focal point of the Hamas attack.
IDF posts on Gaza border failed routine inspection (Credits: Cleveland Jewish News)
The inspection exposed serious shortcomings, including the failure to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing the base, breaches in security protocols allowing entry to restricted areas, theft of weaponry and sensitive materials, and the pilfering of keys to the armory.
Tragically, these vulnerabilities were exploited by Hamas during their assault on October 7, resulting in casualties and the abduction of Israeli soldiers.
In response to the report, the IDF stated that the inspection was part of routine procedures aimed at enhancing base defenses and was not specifically designed to simulate a mass attack by thousands of terrorists. Nevertheless, the findings underscored remarkable deficiencies in the army’s preparedness for such scenarios.
Gaza war (Credits: BBC)
Following the October 7 massacre, which claimed the lives of numerous soldiers and resulted in the capture of others, the IDF launched internal investigations to determine the root causes of the failures. These probes are focused on identifying operational shortcomings and formulating recommendations to bolster the army’s readiness.
While internal investigations are underway, plans for external probes into the army’s conduct remain on hold, following objections from government officials concerned about potential criticism. State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman has also announced plans to investigate the failures, but the timing of these inquiries remains uncertain.
The findings of the internal investigations are expected to be presented to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi in the coming months, with a view to implementing corrective measures and improving the army’s readiness to confront future threats along the Gaza border.
