Three years after the 7 October 2023 attacks, Israelis are demanding accountability for the security failures that allowed the assault to occur. The attacks, which began shortly after 07:00 on 7 October 2023, resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths across southern Israel and 251 people being taken hostage.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to accept personal responsibility for the events or order an independent state inquiry into how the security breach was allowed to happen. He has blamed his security chiefs, accusing them of deliberately not waking him in the hours before the attacks.
Inbar Goldstein, whose relatives were killed and kidnapped from Kfar Aza, stated, "I need my country to take responsibility." Questions are also being raised about intelligence failures and what information was passed to military and political leaders prior to the attacks.
Reports have emerged of warnings given to Netanyahu by his security chief and regional neighbours, which he denies. His office dismissed a recent newspaper report alleging a warning from the UAE leader as "an absolute lie" and stated he would sue the publication.
While military commanders, including the then-chief of staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, have apologised and resigned or been fired, political leaders, including Netanyahu, have not accepted responsibility. Col Richard Hecht, former IDF international spokesman, cited this refusal as a reason for his resignation six months after the attacks.