Israel’s top security agency, Shin Bet, has admitted to missing warning signs that Hamas was preparing for the October 7, 2023, attack and was misled into believing the group was not seeking full-scale war. This acknowledgment comes from an internal inquiry, which highlights one of Israel’s most severe security lapses.

Shin Bet’s report, released on March 4, follows an earlier investigation by the Israeli military, which found it had underestimated Hamas' strength and failed to protect civilians. The attack saw Hamas militants infiltrate southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel’s military launched a war in Gaza that has since claimed more than 48,000 Palestinian lives, displaced most of the 2.3 million residents, and left the region in ruins, according to Palestinian health officials and humanitarian agencies. Around 400 Israeli soldiers have also died in the conflict. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since January 19.

Shin Bet’s report stated that had it acted differently in the years leading up to the attack and on the night itself, the massacre could have been prevented. "This is not the standard we expected from ourselves or that the public expected from us," the agency admitted. The publication of these investigations has fueled growing demands from opposition leaders and civil society for a national inquiry into the Israeli government’s handling of the crisis. While Israel’s intelligence and military leaders have acknowledged their failures, the political leadership—particularly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—has so far resisted calls for a full investigation.

In a heated parliamentary debate, Netanyahu assured that an inquiry would take place but insisted it must be "objective, balanced, and not based on predetermined conclusions." Meanwhile, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar has taken responsibility for the security failures and announced his decision to step down. Some reports indicate that Shin Bet’s findings were submitted to Netanyahu’s office, but there has been no official response.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file.