The recent conflict between Israel and Gaza has exposed significant intelligence failures in both Israel and the United States. Israeli officials circulated a 40-page document detailing Hamas' planned assault on Israeli defense forces near the Gaza strip, but the U.S. intelligence community did not have access to this information. This lack of awareness highlights the neglect of Iran-backed terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah by U.S. intelligence agencies, which primarily focus on al Qaeda and ISIS. Former FBI and CIA officials have warned that this intelligence gap could cost American lives. FBI Director Christopher Wray has acknowledged the possibility of attacks on U.S. soil and stated that the FBI is starting from scratch in collecting intelligence on Hamas activities within the country. The article also discusses ongoing negotiations and a hostage situation involving Hamas, with the U.S. working to secure the release of Americans held by the group. The Red Cross has not been granted access to the hostages, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening.
According to a report from VINNews, critical computer systems used by the Israel Defense Forces' elite 8200 intelligence unit broke down on October 6th, just 90 minutes before Hamas launched its cross-border attack. The computer error affected Unit 8200, responsible for 80% of the information gathered and produced for all intelligence branches. If the system had been working during those hours, it is likely that significant information would have been received that could have changed the intelligence picture. The breakdown of the system was only repaired shortly before the attack, raising questions about the effectiveness of Israel's signal-intelligence agency. The information about the computer error was conveyed to the commander of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director Ronen Bar. The commander of Unit 8200, Brig. Gen. 'Y.', has refused to take any blame for the failure. A three-member audit team from the army's General Staff infiltrated the Unit 8200 intelligence base and collected classified documents and data material from secret computers [60c7df10].
The article from the New York Post raises concerns about how Hamas was able to outsmart Israel's surveillance and intelligence efforts in Gaza, questioning the effectiveness of Israel's signal-intelligence agency, Unit 8200. It also emphasizes the importance of developing networks among Palestinians and calls for Israel to hold those responsible accountable and improve its intelligence capabilities.