Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed on Monday evening the hours leading up to the October 7 attack, claiming that senior security officials refrained from waking him despite receiving warning indicators because they feared the response he would order might lead to an exchange of fire with Hamas.
According to Netanyahu, multiple warning signs were received before the attack suggesting Hamas might be preparing to strike. He specifically named former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) director Ronen Bar, and former Military Intelligence chief Aharon Haliva as officials who were aware of these indicators.
Despite this intelligence, Netanyahu asserted, no decision was made to wake him or update him on the developing situation. He said the reason for this was revealed in a protocol of statements made by Ronen Bar that was submitted to Israel's High Court of Justice as part of a dispute between the two men.
Netanyahu quoted from the statements attributed to Bar: "First of all, to be in covert medium readiness so as not to create a miscalculation," and later: "Readiness to respond, for now to avoid broad activity in order to avoid miscalculation."
