Why Wasn't the Female Soldiers' Warning Heeded?
Reports emerged about a 40-page document detailing a Hamas battle plan, with startling similarities to the actual militant actions carried out from Gaza. Notably, three months before the confrontations, the all-female Gaza reconnaissance team had noticed militant activities along the border and shared potential attack scenarios, yet their cautions went unnoticed by higher-ranking Israeli military officials.
The Ignored Warnings
It's unmistakable that these female soldiers, whose position on the border with Gaza afforded them unique insight, had a special reason to know. Their alarming warnings, however, seemed to go unheard, as emphasized by Israeli media, like "Kan News" and "The Times of Israel."
Border Surveillance and Conspicuous Hamas Exercises
Before the clash, the female soldiers in the surveillance unit regularly communicated to their superiors about obvious exercises by Hamas militants near the Israel-Gaza border. Describing one such instance, a female soldier narrated, "They started sending drones daily, sometimes more than once, directly to our side of the border." On certain occasions, the drones were just 300 meters away from the fence.
Approximately a month and a half before the fateful incidents, the female soldiers also claimed that Hamas had established an identical observation post to theirs and conducted trials that mimicked their own methods. Furthermore, the militants had even practiced attacking a duplicate Israeli main battle tank "Merkava 4."
The Reconnaissance Team's Perspective
Tterified by the escalating danger, one of the female soldiers, Maya Desiatnik, expressed her frustration, "It makes you angry! We saw what happened, we told them about it, and we were the ones who were murdered."
Alongside Desiatnik, her compatriot Yael Rotenberg - both having escaped the deadly attack at a base in the Nahal Oz kibbutz - shared the sentiment. It was apparent to Desiatnik that the impending danger was merely a matter of time.
Main Points
- Despite concerns raised by female Israeli soldiers following reports of militant activity along the Gaza Strip border, their cautions were unnoticed by senior military officials.
- The US newspaper revealed a Hamas battle plan outlined in a 40-page document with similarities to the actual attack from the Gaza Strip.
- Female soldiers in a Gaza reconnaissance team had warned about militant activities in the months leading up to the brutal Hamas attack, but their warnings were ignored.
- The female soldiers of the surveillance unit reported Hamas exercises involving practices like using drones and attacks on mock Israeli assets.
Enrichment Insights:
The lack of attention paid to the warnings of the female Israeli soldiers could be attributed to two factors: sexism and insufficient urgency.
- Sexism: Reports suggested that sexism may have played a role in the dismissal of the female soldiers' warnings. Referred to as "tatzpitaniyot" or "the eyes of the army," these soldiers provided valuable real-time intelligence but were often ignored by higher-ranking officers, who didn't take their warnings seriously.
- Lack of urgency: The information provided by the female soldiers included signs of suspicious activities such as Hamas operatives conducting training sessions and digging holes along the border. However, these reports were often attributed as unimportant by intelligence officials.
- Inaction: Despite the persistent warnings, there was little to no action taken by the more senior officers who received the reports. The tragic incidents on October 7, 2023, where over 60 soldiers were killed, and hostages were taken, could have been prevented due to this inaction.
- Investigation and Apology: Following the incident, the IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, apologized to the freed hostages for disregarding their warnings and prolonging their captivity. He acknowledged that the military would conduct a comprehensive investigation into what transpired on October 7 and encouraged the soldiers to contribute to the probe.
