“I have no choice but to praise Hamas for the deception it perpetrated on us,” former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated in a recording aired by Army Radio on Sunday, the Jerusalem Post reports. He elaborated, saying, “They used disturbances and humanitarian concerns to lull us to sleep and prepare the attack – and they succeeded,” referring to the terrorist group’s actions on October 7, 2023.
Halevi went on to express his disbelief, stating, “In all the military exercises we’ve done and in all the discussions we had, we didn’t think that 5% of what happened [that day] could happen.”
The recording was released after Halevi concluded his tenure as IDF Chief of Staff earlier this month, with Eyal Zamir succeeding him. Halevi had announced in January that he would step down due to the military’s failures during the Hamas terrorist attacks.
Halevi had served in the position for two years and two months.
This recording, featuring Halevi’s remarks, was part of the investigation into the events of October 7, which was presented to the residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Kibbutz Nir Oz was one of the hardest-hit communities during the Hamas terrorist attacks, with an IDF investigation revealing on Friday that no soldiers had reached the kibbutz until after the last of the estimated 300 to 500 Hamas terrorists had already retreated to Gaza.
The attack on the kibbutz resulted in 47 Israelis killed and 76 taken hostage.
The investigation also pointed to several reasons for the kibbutz’s vulnerability, including its distance from other communities near Gaza and its smaller size compared to other neighboring villages. It was also revealed that the IDF’s 450th Battalion, located just two kilometers away from the kibbutz, had sent half of its forces to other locations like Kissufim and Kerem Shalom.
In response, the kibbutz labeled the IDF’s findings as “harrowing and deeply unsettling.” They also praised the bravery of the community’s emergency response team, who fought valiantly to defend against the Hamas invasion.
The kibbutz’s emergency team, outnumbered by hundreds of attackers, fought alone for nearly two hours, doing everything in their power until they were either killed or taken hostage.
“The entire community struggled and fought – there were those who took up arms to defend their homes, those who held their doors shut, those who sent messages and called for help, and those who simply fought for their lives,” the kibbutz added.
Michal Uziyahu, head of the Eshkol Regional Council, called on the IDF and the Israeli government to conduct a comprehensive review of the Hamas attacks and take accountability for their failures. She also demanded that changes be made to the defense systems for Nir Oz and other communities near the Gaza Strip.
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