The Prime Minister's Office has released a series of intelligence documents detailing Israel's assessments in the months leading up to the October 7 attack. These documents, spanning from early 2023 to just before the massacre, reveal that Israel's defense officials consistently misjudged Hamas's intentions, believing the group was deterred and seeking economic stability rather than escalation. High-level security meetings and intelligence reports indicated a prevailing belief that Hamas did not want war and was interested in long-term arrangements, with internal Israeli political divisions seen as a restraining factor for Hamas.

Despite evidence of Hamas's growing strength and investment in capabilities to breach the border, the security establishment maintained a medium level of readiness and underestimated the likelihood of a large-scale attack. The documents also highlight gaps in communication and assessment, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasizing systemic failures across the security apparatus. The release of these documents comes amid Netanyahu's refusal to establish a formal commission of inquiry, which would have broader access to the intelligence materials.