📷 Image Credits: The Hindu
On June 18, 2024, an Israeli intelligence brief surfaced indicating that weeks before the October 7 attack by Hamas, military officials were alerted about the Palestinian group’s plans. The brief, compiled by the Israeli military’s signals intelligence unit in September, highlighted Hamas fighters’ training for hostage-taking, along with anticipated raids on military positions and Israeli communities in southern Israel. The document detailed the Palestinian militants’ goal of taking hundreds of hostages, with an expected count of 200-250 people. The devastating Hamas attack on October 7 led to the tragic deaths of 1,194 individuals, primarily civilians, based on an AFP tally from Israeli official records. Additionally, 251 people were taken hostage, with 116 individuals still captive in Gaza, including 41 deemed deceased. Israel’s retaliatory military actions following the assault have resulted in the loss of at least 37,347 lives in the Gaza Strip, predominantly civilians, as per the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory. Despite the warnings in the intelligence brief, Israeli politicians have been resistant to launching a comprehensive investigation into the intelligence oversights surrounding the Hamas attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized postponing any official scrutiny until after the current prolonged conflict concludes. The Israeli military, however, confirmed an active investigation into the events of October 7, with plans to disclose information gathered from the probe to the public in due course.
