Israeli Army Admits It Underestimated Hamas Before Oct. 7 Attack
Placards of Israeli hostages held by Hamas hang in destroyed house in Be’eri, Israel, on Dec. 20, 2023.
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Israel’s military admitted it underestimated and misread Hamas before the attack of Oct. 7, 2023, saying it thought the militant group had neither the intention nor the ability to carry out such a devastating operation.
In the first major inquiry into the failings that lead to the worst single-day atrocity in the country’s history, the Israel Defense Forces said it viewed Hamas as a secondary threat relative to Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group in Lebanon, and Tehran itself.