An investigation into Israel’s preparedness ahead of the October 7 attack by Hamas has raised serious questions about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of intelligence warnings prior to the assault. The findings challenge Netanyahu’s repeated claims that no advance alerts were received, which he has used to argue that the attack could not have been prevented.

According to the investigation, Netanyahu was provided with multiple warnings in the months and weeks before the attack. These included intelligence reports from Israel’s security agencies highlighting increased threats linked to internal instability caused by the controversial judicial overhaul enacted in Israel. Furthermore, the prime minister reportedly received a direct alert from the president of the United Arab Emirates, cautioning that Hamas was planning a significant operation. Despite these signals, Netanyahu is said to have taken no effective action to mitigate the threat.

The investigation also contends that Netanyahu’s responsibility extends beyond the immediate lead-up to the attack. It highlights policy decisions made over several years, during which Hamas allegedly received millions of dollars in funding while Israel maintained or intensified the occupation in Gaza. These long-term policies are cited as contributing factors that allowed Hamas to strengthen its capabilities.

In recent weeks, Netanyahu has attempted to confine scrutiny to the specific hours before the attack, emphasizing that he was not alerted during the critical moments and thus was not negligent. He has made public portions of his diaries from October 7 to support this narrative. However, the new findings argue this narrow timeframe is insufficient and that accountability must encompass a broader period, including the lead-up months and the response after the attack began.

The investigation also criticizes Netanyahu’s handling of the crisis once it unfolded, describing the ongoing management of the conflict as a failure that has persisted over the past three years. While senior defense officials have faced consequences for their perceived shortcomings, Netanyahu has resisted calls to resign, asserting that the decision will rest with voters in the upcoming election.

The authors of the investigation emphasize the urgent need to establish an independent state commission of inquiry to examine the full scope of preventive failures and post-attack management. They argue that only comprehensive accountability, starting with a potential change in leadership, can address the systemic issues that allowed the October 7 massacre to occur and the subsequent shortcomings in security and conflict management.