Criticism has intensified against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged security failures ahead of the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, the deadliest assault in Israel’s history. Several prominent political figures have accused Netanyahu of ignoring multiple warnings and bearing full responsibility for the security lapse.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief and Netanyahu’s main challenger in the October 27 elections, openly condemned the prime minister for evading accountability. Eisenkot said Netanyahu received numerous warnings about a possible October 7 attack but dismissed them all, calling the prime minister "unfit" for office. Eisenkot also criticized Netanyahu’s explanation that he was not alerted promptly on the morning of the attack as a “pathetic” excuse.
Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister and another election candidate, also held Netanyahu directly responsible for the deaths resulting from the attack. “Netanyahu cannot continue to serve in his position for even one more minute,” Bennett stated. Similarly, Yair Golan, leader of the center-left Democrats Party, accused Netanyahu of endangering Israel by ignoring intelligence and failing to act on the warnings. Golan dismissed claims that Netanyahu was unaware in time, saying, “You knew, you ignored, you failed, you are to blame.”
Opposition parties are advocating for the swift establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate security failings surrounding the attack if they come to power. Netanyahu has rejected this approach, opting instead for an investigation under his government’s control.
Reports have surfaced suggesting that intelligence about the impending attack was shared beyond Israel’s borders. According to some accounts, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had warned a former Palestinian official that militants were preparing a “terrifying operation” he described as an “earthquake.” This warning was reportedly relayed to an adviser in the United Arab Emirates, who then contacted UAE leadership. The Emirati leader reportedly called Netanyahu directly to convey the alert, based on information that surfaced from anonymous sources. Netanyahu, whose government normalized relations with the UAE in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords brokered by the United States under President Donald Trump, is said to have responded calmly to that warning.
Israeli newspapers also reported that Egyptian intelligence, as the only other country bordering Gaza, had issued prior warnings indicating “something big is going to happen” shortly before the attack. Despite various intelligence signals, Netanyahu’s approach over the years reportedly focused on preserving the status quo with Hamas while seeking to undermine its political rival, the Palestinian Authority.
The unfolding political fallout highlights deep divisions within Israel regarding the handling of intelligence prior to the October 7 attack and the appropriate course of accountability moving forward.