Article: Massive Hamas Attacks on Israel Reveal Major Intelligence Flaw
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets and infiltrating fighters into Israeli territory. This “surprise, massive and coordinated” attack highlights a major flaw in the Israeli intelligence services, according to David Khalfa, co-director of the North Africa and Middle East Observatory of the Jean-Jaurès Foundation.
This attack, called “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, marks the end of a relatively respected truce since the end of the war between Israel and the Gaza Strip last May. Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, claimed responsibility for launching more than 5,000 rockets and infiltrating fighters into Israeli territory.
In response to the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised retaliation, saying the enemy would pay a high price. He stressed that the country was at war and he was determined to win it.
During an interview with France 24, David Khalfa stressed that this attack was unprecedented in its scale and sophistication. He recalled that since the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Israel has never faced an attack of this nature, with a real ground invasion and Hamas special forces operating deep within Israeli territory.
According to Khalfa, this event reveals a major flaw within Israeli intelligence services. He speaks of a historic failure comparable to that of 1973, emphasizing that the country is in a state of permanent alert and that this failure testifies to a certain unpreparedness and an error of analysis of the Israeli intelligence services.
He explains that the Israeli army is also in a state of astonishment in the face of this surprise attack, emphasizing that the success of the Hamas operation relies on the surprise effect and joint maneuvers. He also points out that the technology Israel relies on to anticipate threats and neutralize them in advance has not been effective this time.
Why is this attack happening now? Khalfa highlights the political and identity crisis that Israel is going through, with a polarization and fracturing of society. He claims that Hamas took advantage of this apparent vulnerability to carry out this attack, highlighting the fragile situation in which the country finds itself.
In conclusion, this massive Hamas attack against Israel highlights a major flaw in Israeli intelligence services. It raises questions about unpreparedness and misanalysis on the part of intelligence services, as well as the use of technology to anticipate threats. This attack also comes in a context of political and identity crisis in Israel, which poses significant challenges to the country’s national security.