Nearing Oct. 7 anniversary brings IDF failure, police dispute, reserve strain into focus - analysis
The 2026 General Staff should have been expected to be more assertive toward the political leadership, presenting the real challenges rather than attempting to smooth over reality.
As Israel prepares to commemorate the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are once again facing scrutiny over their failures in the lead-up to the attack, their relationship with the Israel Police, and the strain on reserve soldiers. On Thursday, new findings and disputes were brought to light.
Three years after the October 7 massacre, where the IDF failed to protect the state by failing to protect Kibbutz Be'er Sheva, an investigation into the fighting at the Paga outpost was released. Eighteen soldiers were killed at the outpost, with another 25 wounded and two taken hostage. The investigation revealed that the IDF's preparation for the mission was inadequate, with some positions lacking machine guns or MAG machine guns.
The IDF's slow release of the investigation highlights the severity of the failure, as it took them three years to come to a conclusion. Before October 7, the IDF functioned like an amateurish neighborhood soccer team, lacking proper rules and procedures. The lack of a decisive command structure left the IDF unprepared for the raid.
Following the massacre, the IDF lost public trust, and it can be said that the trust was lost with good reason. The IDF has since tried to rebuild itself both operationally and in terms of its image.
The Israel Police announced on Thursday that two tunnel shafts had been discovered in the Jaljulia area near the seam line opposite Kfar Saba. However, the IDF disputed this claim, arguing that the shafts were not tunnels and were not near the seam line. The IDF spokesperson, Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin, criticized the police, calling them liars and refusing to bury their head in the sand.
Tensions between the IDF and the Israel Police are not new, particularly in the West Bank. IDF officers have accused the police of operating politically rather than operationally. Despite this, the IDF generally maintains respect for the police and the Judea and Samaria District. The IDF learned about the alleged tunnel near Jaljulia from police announcements made by Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Saar, which caused panic among residents in the Sharon region.
The IDF is currently in a sensitive position, requiring a large military presence in the West Bank. The 98th Division headquarters and Egoz Unit troops have been transferred to the area, with more units expected to arrive soon.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
