Israeli army admits failures over Hamas’ October 7 attack

A woman grieves at a memorial for those killed and abducted during the October 7 attack by Hamas militants (Leo Correa/AP)

An investigation has determined that Hamas was able to carry out the deadliest attack in Israeli history on October 7 because the much more powerful Israeli army misjudged the militant group’s intentions and underestimated its capabilities.

The findings, released Thursday, could pressure prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to launch a widely demanded broader inquiry to examine the political decision-making that preceded the attack.