Israeli Security Agency Blames Government for Failures Leading to Hamas Attack

In a groundbreaking report, the Shin Bet acknowledges it underestimated Hamas, pointing to government policies that enabled militant preparations ahead of the Oct. 7 attack.

On March 4, 2025, the Israeli domestic security service, known as the Shin Bet, released a summary of its investigation into the catastrophic Hamas assault that occurred on October 7, 2023. The report takes responsibility for failing to recognize critical warning signals but also accuses the Israeli government of failing policies that allowed Hamas to strengthen its military capabilities and operational readiness in secrecy.

This new inquiry comes on the heels of findings from the Israeli military, which have similarly criticized senior officials for underestimating Hamas and misreading early intelligence that suggested an imminent attack.

While the report was declassified to share key findings with the public, significant aspects remain undisclosed. What is clear from the summary is the significant intelligence failures leading to one of the deadliest days for Israel, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and around 250 individuals taken hostage, igniting ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Shin Bet, intelligence regarding potential attacks by Hamas reached agents as early as 2018 and again in 2022; however, these warnings were not perceived as credible threats. Consequently, the agency failed to adequately incorporate this intelligence into its assessments of possible future confrontations with the militant group.

Despite acknowledging that it should have responded more effectively to the early indicators of the attack, the Shin Bet maintained that it did recognize the potential threat from Hamas. The Israeli government felt compelled to publish the summarized results of this investigation, given the severity and ramifications of the October attack. The implications of these findings could lead to significant reforms in the nation's intelligence and security operations moving forward.