The October 7th Flood

 

While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East

By Yaakov Katz and Amir Bohbot

October 7, 2023, marked a historic failure. Hamas, a terrorist organization, executed a devastating surprise attack on Israel—the region’s most powerful military. Thousands of terrorists breached the border under cover of intense rocket fire. Some sailed over the fence on hang gliders, landing behind Israeli lines to massacre civilians. Others stormed Zikim Beach in rubber dinghies (a few were intercepted by the Israeli Navy). Still more blasted through the border wall with explosives, speeding in pickup trucks to take hostages, kill indiscriminately, and commit atrocities.

How could this happen? That is the central question While Israel Slept rigorously examines.

The authors argue that Israel underestimated Hamas for years, fixating instead on Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon. After withdrawing from Gaza in 2005–2006, Israel dismantled settlements and human intelligence networks, relying heavily on technology: border sensors, drones, and software monitoring Gaza’s communications. The system flagged unusual activity—like Hamas turning on Israeli SIM cards—but terrorists routinely staged drills with rockets and cell phones, desensitizing Israeli analysts. Like the frog in slowly heating water, Israel grew complacent.

Warning signs were ignored. Software monitoring Gaza malfunctioned in the months before the attack. Hamas planted explosives along the border wall during protests, undetected. Intelligence dismissed reports of Palestinians training to overrun homes and take hostages. Even when rocket alerts spiked on October 7, many in the IDF assumed it was another drill.

The book traces Hamas’s evolution from its 1980s origins as a Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated charity, founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin (with Yahya Sinwar among its early members), into a full-fledged terror group. Israel initially tolerated it, seeing it as a counterweight to the PLO. Sinwar, who spent 22 years in Israeli prisons, studied his enemy closely—learning Hebrew and IDF tactics. He repeatedly warned of an “Al-Aqsa Flood,” a mass infiltration to kill, kidnap, and force prisoner releases. These threats were dismissed.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies also contributed. To stabilize Gaza, he facilitated Qatari funds, believing economic incentives would reduce violence. Instead, the money fueled Hamas’s military buildup. The group raised millions through U.S.- and Europe-based “charities,” dummy companies, and a dedicated Mossad unit (Harpoon) struggled to disrupt the flow.

Hamas built an extensive tunnel network beneath Gaza, but on October 7, they attacked overland—exploiting Israel’s overconfidence in its border defenses.

The authors conclude with sobering lessons: intelligence must prioritize human sources over tech, threats cannot be downplayed for political convenience, and complacency is fatal. To prevent another October 7, Israel must relearn vigilance.

A gripping, meticulously reported account—essential reading for understanding one of the greatest intelligence failures in modern history.