Gaza War and October 7 Attack: Gallant Reveals New Secrets

7th February 2025

5 minutes read

Gaza War and October 7 Attack: Gallant Reveals New Secrets

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reveals new details about the Gaza war, from the day of the attack to a ceasefire that carried within it the shadow of Donald Trump.

For the first time, Gallant, in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, provided insights from within the Israeli military establishment regarding October 7, 2023—the day Hamas launched an attack on Israel, igniting the war in Gaza.

In the interview, he stated: “My daughter called me from Tel Aviv and said: ‘There are sirens in Tel Aviv.’ One minute later, I picked up the phone and called the Chief of Staff. He told me: ‘It’s from Gaza. It’s not just rockets. There’s something on the ground here as well. I’m assessing the situation.’”

A Sense of Failure and Confusion

Speaking about the emotions of officials at the time, Gallant explained: “The feeling of heaviness and failure was tangible. On the other hand, people were working. First, I looked at the Chief of Staff—he was doing his job, giving instructions, and coordinating efforts.”

He added: “The Chief of Staff was busy managing the military system, and I didn’t disturb him at that time. But I entered his office to assess the situation before 8 a.m. and noticed a sense of uncertainty. There was no panic, but there was a lack of understanding—they didn’t know exactly what was happening everywhere.”

He realized then that this was war: “During the situation assessment at 8 a.m., I told everyone: ‘This is war. Open all warehouses, take everything available, and mobilize everyone you can—both regular and reserve forces.’”

He continued: “Send them south—this is already happening—but also north. I didn’t believe Hamas would start a war without Hezbollah being a partner.”

Hamas and Hezbollah: A Coordinated Effort?

Gallant revealed: “By December 2023 and later in February 2024, when we found Hamas’s computers and hard drives, it became entirely clear that Hamas intended to involve Hezbollah.”

Netanyahu‘s “Gloomy” Mood

Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s state on the morning of the attack, Gallant said: “I believe he was in an extremely gloomy mood—not just that day but also afterward, on October 11, and in the period leading up to the ground operation. He had a very pessimistic message that I did not support.”

When asked if Netanyahu was operating at full capacity, he responded: “I don’t give grades to the Prime Minister or assess his work.”

Was the Attack Predictable?

Gallant stated: “When a Defense Minister must make decisions, he must rely on the information available—whether from intelligence reports, high-level discussions, or field assessments.”

He admitted: “I did not receive any indication of Hamas’s intent to attack—not even a single clue.”

Regarding whether far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s provocations contributed to the October 7 attack, he replied: “This is explosive. It’s very disturbing, and we know this from intelligence.”

Gallant’s Personal Responsibility

Gallant did not deny his own responsibility for the failures: “First of all, I am responsible for everything that happened from the beginning of January 2022 (when I took office) until November 7, 2024, including October 7.”

When asked if he felt guilty, he responded: “Responsibility is something we must bear. As for blame, I suggest leaving that to those authorized to assign it. I feel immense pain and sorrow.”

He rejected claims that Israeli military leaders deliberately withheld information from the political leadership: “No, I don’t believe there were bad actors here. Nor do I think there was any intentional negligence.”

Netanyahu Opposed the Ground Operation

Gallant revealed that Netanyahu initially opposed the ground operation in Gaza, stating: “Before the operation, the Prime Minister told me we would see thousands of deaths in Gaza. I told him, ‘There won’t be thousands of deaths. Besides, why do we have an army if we don’t use it after 1,000 of our citizens were killed and women, children, and elderly were kidnapped and murdered?’”

He added: “Then came the argument that hostages would be used as human shields.”

He emphasized the difficulty of launching the ground operation: “The struggle to launch the ground maneuver was not easy. I was with the troops on October 8 (2023). The message from them was: ‘You always tell us this will happen, but it never does. In a week, you’ll release us from the reserves because you’re not serious.’”

He continued: “When I returned to the cabinet, I realized that some people there had more political experience than I did, or higher military ranks in the reserves, and they thought the same thing.”

When asked if, without his pressure, Netanyahu, Gadi Eizenkot, and Benny Gantz would have ended the war with only airstrikes, he answered: “I don’t want to speak about person A or person B. In the end, the Prime Minister and the cabinet voted on the issue and unanimously approved it.”

Did Israel Do Enough for the Hostages?

In a second critique of Netanyahu, Gallant was asked whether the Israeli government did everything possible to bring back the hostages. He answered: “I don’t think so. We could have retrieved more hostages, sooner, and at a lower cost.”

Trump: The Hidden Factor

Gallant claimed that “the proposal Hamas presented in early July 2023 was identical to the current offer but was of lower quality in some aspects. Unfortunately, the number of living hostages has decreased, and time has passed, costing us dearly.”

When asked who was responsible for the delay, he responded: “Take the events of April as an example—it explains everything. The war cabinet unanimously agreed on a deal to withdraw from the Netzarim corridor (in central Gaza) in exchange for different conditions leading to hostage releases.”

He added: “That evening, during a cabinet discussion, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—who was neither aware of the plan nor supposed to know about it—said: ‘There’s a plan to release 18 hostages in exchange for leaving Netzarim,’ and declared his opposition, threatening to leave the government.”

Who Gets Credit for Nasrallah’s Assassination?

Gallant rejected claims that Netanyahu deserved credit for Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination. He stated: “The only person pushing for Hezbollah’s elimination and for continued fighting during that period was me. The previous agreement involved a 42-day ceasefire, which we insisted upon.”

He also dismissed Netanyahu’s assertion that protests by Israeli hostage families had strengthened Hamas’s position: “I don’t think so.”

Why Was a Deal Reached Now and Not Months Ago?

When asked why an agreement on Gaza was reached at this specific time rather than months earlier, he responded: “We ended up with the same deal that was available in July. What changed? Netanyahu considers Donald Trump more important than Itamar Ben-Gvir. This was not the case with Joe Biden. That’s the whole story.”