Senior IDF officer reportedly dismissed warnings about Hamas invasion as 'fantasy'

IDF officials from the Israeli military’s elite signal intelligence, Unit 8200, reportedly provided pre-October 7 intelligence warnings about a Hamas invasion into Israel. However, an unnamed senior IDF officer reportedly dismissed the intelligence warnings about a comprehensive Hamas attack as “fantasies,” Israel's Channel 12 news and Kan broadcaster reported on Thursday.

On Oct. 7, thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded some 20 Israeli communities and slaughtered about 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, in what has become the most lethal day in the 75 years of modern Israel’s history.

It was also the most lethal day in the history of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

The Hamas invasion on Oct. 7 was quickly described as the worst intelligence failure in Israeli history, taking place on the almost 50th anniversary of another major intelligence failure – the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

However, if the media reports are accurate, the failure to protect Israel on Oct. 7 was not due to intelligence but by a failure of senior IDF officials to act on provided intelligence.

The report stressed that intelligence officers had warned senior IDF officials of unusual and extensive Hamas training exercises three months prior to the lethal Oct. 7 assault.

“They were told in real-time. There were so many things that should have set off red lights,” a Unit 8200 source told Israeli media.

In addition, it was not merely intelligence about unusual Hamas training activities across the border.

The Kan network revealed that Israel Defense Forces had reportedly acquired a Hamas terror manual that described, in detail, how to invade and conquer Israeli communities close to the Gaza border, including the Israeli cities of Sderot, Netivot and Ofakim.

The manual reportedly outlined the use of hang-gliders and motorbikes, in combination with mortar fire – all of which were used during the Oct. 7 invasion by Hamas terrorists.

According to the reports, the manual also outlined Hamas' strategy to lull Israeli officials into complacency with insincere talks about a long-term ceasefire.

The Israel Defense Forces responded to the report, stressing that it is “operating and fighting in these very days against the murderous terror organization Hamas in the Gaza strip. All of the [IDF’s] commanders and soldiers are focused on this mission alone in order to complete the goals of the war.”

“When the war is finished, a detailed and thorough investigation will be conducted clarifying every last detail,” the IDF statement added.

Whether it was an Intelligence failure or a failure to act, some senior Israeli and IDF officials have already taken responsibility for the unprecedented Hamas Oct. 7 invasion.

In mid-October, IDF Military Intelligence Commander, Maj.-Gen. Aharon Haliva took responsibility for failing to prevent the brutal massacre and taking of hostages into Gaza.

“In all my visits to Military Intelligence Directorate units in the last 11 days, I sat down and stressed that the beginning of the war was an intelligence failure," Haliva said.

“The Military Intelligence Directorate, under my command, failed to warn of the terror attack carried out by Hamas,” the senior IDF admitted.

“We failed in our most important mission, and as the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, I bear full responsibility for the failure, Haliva emphasized.