Sderot Left Exposed: Israeli Probe Uncovers Miscommunication, Lack of Preparedness During October 7 Attack
The Israel Defense Forces “failed in its mission to protect the residents of Sderot” according to a military report on Hamas’ October 7 attack on the city released on Wednesday.
TPS-IL News Agency 10.04.2025
An IDF probe revealed Sderot’s vulnerability during a Hamas attack due to unpreparedness and logistical failures. The city’s emergency squad, armed only with pistols, lacked rifles and training, leaving it defenseless against heavily armed terrorists.
Hamas’s elite Nukhba unit struck Sderot, a city of 31,000 near Gaza, at 6:58 a.m., hitting key sites like the police station. Fierce fighting there killed 16, including 10 officers. One officer killed four terrorists alone, but the battle lasted until the next day.
Sderot had no defensive plan or perimeter despite its location. Rocket sirens sounded, but no infiltration alert came in time, leaving residents—many praying in synagogues—unaware. A delayed text alert went unnoticed, worsening the chaos.
Misinformation online drew 1,000 troops to Sderot, draining forces from other attacked areas. The control center collapsed early, and poor coordination left soldiers directionless amid simultaneous assaults, the probe found.
Hamas’s planned attack killed 53 in Sderot, including 37 civilians. Army probes show 5,000 terrorists overran border defenses on October 7, exposing years of misjudged intelligence and a focus on Iran over Gaza threats.
Image - Yossi Zamir/Flash90
Image - Yossi Zamir/Flash90
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