IDF fails to protect Sderot during Hamas attack
- The IDF's response was severely lacking, with initial contact not made until 8:30 a.m. and control regained only by 10:30 a.m.
- During the attack, 53 people were killed, including citizens and law enforcement officers, highlighting the drastic failure to protect the community.
- The investigation concluded that comprehensive reforms are necessary to address systemic issues in the IDF's operational readiness.
On October 7, 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) faced a severe operational failure during a surprise attack by Hamas on the city of Sderot. This unpreparedness left citizens vulnerable to an assault led by Hamas's elite Nukhba unit, which invaded at around 6:58 a.m. The terrorists quickly reached significant locations within the city, including the police station, where they caused chaos and destruction. Despite the IDF's eventual response, which only began significantly after 8:30 a.m., critical delays and communication breakdowns resulted in substantial casualties. Casualties included 53 fatalities, comprising 37 civilians, 11 police officers, three soldiers, and two firefighters, while the rescue operations struggled against overwhelming odds. A report revealed that the city's emergency squad was ill-equipped, armed only with handguns against heavily armed attackers. Misleading information circulating through social media further confused military responses, causing additional forces to divert from other critical areas under attack. The report indicated that operational disasters stemmed from flawed concepts and inadequate preparation within the IDF, particularly highlighting failures of the Northern Brigade, the Gaza Division, and the Operations Division. Since Sderot had no formal defensive perimeter and had not been trained effectively for such an attack, the failure to prevent this intrusion is indicative of systemic issues within the IDF's preparedness and response protocols. The investigation concluded that the lack of mechanisms to address surprise attacks left Sderot and similar border communities vulnerable despite the established security measures. The overall findings expressed concern over the failure to protect an Israeli city in proximity to a conflict zone. It underscored the mandating of substantial operational reforms within the IDF to ensure rapid solutions to prevent future incursions. This incident prompted calls for establishing permanent forces in Sderot, as the reliance on frontier security was deemed insufficient to withstand organized terrorist operations.