First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war


What happened
The first of what is expected to be dozens of Israeli inquiries into security failures during last year's Oct. 7 attacks found that the Israeli Defense Forces "did not fulfill" its mandate to protect the residents of Kibbutz Be'eri. More than 100 people in the Gaza border community were killed by Hamas militants as part of a larger assault across southern Israel.
Who said what
The IDF made "severe mistakes and errors" that resulted in troops "waiting outside the kibbutz" for hours while the "massacre continued inside," said the much-anticipated report, published Thursday. While "acknowledging its own failures," Reuters said, the military "hailed the bravery of Be'eri residents" who, "despite being vastly outnumbered, tried to repel the militants."
The report is the "beginning of a long process of repair and rebuilding trust" between the Israeli military and the public, said IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. A broader, independent investigative commission "should be established" to further probe the response to the attacks, he added — a proposal that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "repeatedly rejected," The Washington Post said. But the IDF's internal investigations are "unlikely to go far in assuaging public demands" for accountability.
What next?
The IDF is aiming to present "all battle investigations by the end of August," The Times of Israel said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocrat
Feature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?
Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlock
Feature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies