A new report by Israel’s Channel 12 revealed that the head of the IDF “Ipcha Mistavra” unit, also known as the Devil’s Advocate Unit, had warned senior military and political leaders about the potential for an attack by Hamas in the weeks leading up to the October 7 onslaught. This unit is specifically tasked with challenging IDF assessments and conceptions, and was formed after the surprise attack that sparked the Yom Kippur War in 1973. The head of the unit, whose identity remains undisclosed, sent two written warnings in late September, directly contesting the prevailing belief that Hamas was not interested in a war with Israel. These notes, dated September 21 and 26, were distributed among key decision-makers in both the military and political spheres. In a letter dated December 3, the officer reflected on his efforts to alert his superiors. “I tried in the weeks before the war erupted to challenge our fundamental basic assessment, which held that Hamas was interested in maintaining quiet in the Gaza Strip,” he wrote. He emphasized his belief that Hamas was poised to initiate a confrontation with Israel, influenced by significant changes in the region’s strategic dynamics, including Israel’s normalization efforts with Saudi Arabia and the resurgence of the Palestinian Authority. The officer’s thesis was not only conveyed through written communication but was also presented orally during two key intelligence gatherings. He first outlined his argument at an annual Intelligence Branch strategic assessment session on September 26 and reiterated it the following day in a weekly debate before the head of military intelligence. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)