On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel. It killed over 1,200 people and kidnapped around 250 to the Gaza Strip. The terrorist attack led to war in Gaza. The behavior of the Israeli army in the Gaza war and in the run-up to it raises questions and concerns the Israeli population. What happened within the army in the days around October 7th? The Israeli army wants to find out and is conducting an investigation. SRF foreign correspondent Susanne Brunner explains exactly what she wants to investigate.
Which events surrounding Israel’s military operation should be investigated?
An Army investigation team has selected several events to investigate. These include the deaths of 13 Hamas hostages at Kibbutz Beeri. The investigation will further show why the Israeli army was unaware of an impending Hamas attack. Female soldiers, so-called scouts on the border with Gaza, had observed Hamas’ preparations and reported them to their officers.
What is the aim of the investigation into Israel’s military operations?
The aim of this study is to reconstruct a chronological sequence of events. In this way, errors should be identified and allegations dealt with.
How did the Israeli army behave on October 7th?
I was there the morning after October 7th. On the day and in the days after the attack, the army was barely present, of all places in Israel. Back then we drove through empty streets. Hamas was still in Israel. The army was either not present or was completely overwhelmed by the situation. Soldiers shot Israelis hiding from terrorists. The population in the kibbutzim had to defend themselves or wait hours for help. There were many tragic events that day. And it took several days for the army to regain control.
Legend:
Hamas had been firing rockets at Gaza border communities since October 7th. The crossing into the Gaza Strip looked like a fortress. There was state-of-the-art surveillance technology. And yet no one seemed prepared for such an attack.
Keystone/EP/Leo Correa (02/15/2024)
Why is Israel’s army investigation taking place now?
There are many open questions and even conspiracy theories in this context. But above all there is a crisis of trust among the population. The population has always felt protected until now. There is also a political dispute between the government and the army leadership. That’s why they don’t want to wait until after the war.
Why is there no independent investigation into the conduct of Israel’s army?
The army conducts this investigation itself and reflects its own behavior. This is also due to the problems between the army and the government of Benjamin Netanyahu; mutual trust is not there. There is a tussle over a government versus military investigation. Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly emphasizes the failure of the army and secret services. The army and secret services find that the prime minister bears ultimate responsibility.
What does the people of Israel expect from the military investigation?
The population in Israel is very divided. Some don’t want the investigation at all, others want a ruthless explanation in order to learn from mistakes. Some blame Prime Minister Netanyahu. The others blame Hamas and that the army and secret services were not prepared. In their eyes, Netanyahu is not to blame.