Israel's response to the October 7 Hamas attack was hampered by a breakdown in communication and trust among its top leaders, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and military chief Herzi Halevi. The three did not speak until nearly four hours after the invasion began, by which time hundreds of Israelis had been killed or taken hostage. Classified footage revealed that no generals were present in the command center during the early hours, and the military was slow to grasp the scale of the attack, with key decisions and public statements delayed.

The dysfunction stemmed in part from deep personal and political divisions, especially over contentious judicial reforms earlier in the year, which had eroded trust and professional communication at the highest levels. Intelligence warnings about Israel's vulnerability had been sent to Netanyahu, but were largely dismissed amid a climate of overconfidence regarding Hamas. As blame is now being shifted, including toward deceased intelligence officials, the episode underscores how political infighting and lack of coordination contributed to Israel's failure to prevent or mitigate the October 7 massacre.