WarRoom Battleground Episode 894

How Hamas Surprised The Most Powerful Military

Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Steve Bannon
Guest: Yaakov Katz (Former Editor-in-Chief, Jerusalem Post; author of "While Israel Slept")

Episode Overview

This episode delves deeply into how Hamas executed a devastating surprise attack on Israel, examining the intelligence and military failures that allowed it to succeed. Steve Bannon interviews Yaakov Katz, co-author of While Israel Slept, for an insider's account of October 7, the weeks and years leading up to it, and the consequences for Israeli society and strategy. They discuss the limits of technological intelligence, misplaced strategic focus, and what the future holds for both Israel’s security and the Middle East.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Reception and Impact of "While Israel Slept"

• Book Reception in Israel and Abroad
  • Katz describes mixed responses: intrigue and pain. In Israel, trauma from the events is still raw, but there is a growing demand for a national-level commission of inquiry to understand what happened (02:22).
  • "It's still a very painful moment in Israeli history." – Yaakov Katz [03:29]
• Author Credentials
  • Katz brings over 25 years of military affairs journalism, including a tenure as Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief (04:30).

2. Breakdown of Israeli Intelligence Failures

• Three Layers of Intelligence Failure:
  • Tactical (Immediate): Real-time alarms prior to the attack (e.g., rocket launchers uncovered, bunker preparations, anomalous communications). Bureaucracy delayed information flow and misinterpretation ensued—was it an exercise or attack? (07:04)
  • Operational (Weeks to Months Prior): Front-line surveillance operators (many women soldiers) noticed suspicious training and enemy movements, but warnings were dismissed by their superiors who believed "Hamas does not want war" (07:48).
  • Strategic (Years Prior): The "Jericho Walls" report (2021-2022) precisely outlined a possible Hamas assault, but was ignored and buried, not reaching decision-makers until a month into the war (08:52).

"They called it Jericho Walls because they looked at the barrier that we had erected along Gaza and said it could come tumbling down like ancient biblical Jericho."
– Yaakov Katz [08:55]

3. Culture of Hubris, Technological Dependence, and Policy Blindness

• Israeli society's desire to "kick the can down the road" and avoid conflict led to a preference for appeasement and payoff (10:03–10:37).
• Overconfidence in surveillance and missile defense led to neglecting human intelligence—no assets inside Gaza provided warning (11:51).

"You can't just rely on technology. And I think that's a big wake-up call."
– Yaakov Katz [13:02]

• Bannon and Katz agree this dependency is a Western-wide issue—echoes of 9/11 intelligence lapses (14:00).

4. Hamas Attack: Tactical Sophistication and Intelligence Gathering

• Meticulous Planning by Hamas:
  • Massive, low-tech, multi-pronged assault: rocket barrages sent frontline operators into shelters, followed by drone attacks on surveillance to blind the border, and simultaneous assaults on bases and communities (15:58–17:49).
  • Hamas possessed astonishingly detailed maps of kibbutzim, including who lived where, which homes had dogs, and base layouts—likely gained from Gazan workers in Israel who were interrogated by Hamas upon returning (18:07–20:28).

"They had the map. They had a map of the kibbutz and where—who lives in what home… the level of detail down at the center of battle is so detailed..."
– Steve Bannon [18:18]

• Raises the question of possible insider leaks; Katz notes that recent Iranian recruitment of Israelis for intelligence gathering is a concern (21:03).

5. IDF Response and Delay

• Despite heroism at the individual level, the institutional IDF response was slow and hobbled by confusion, miscommunication, and a focus on protecting against a northern (Hezbollah) attack (22:20–23:24, 24:01–25:11).
• The Air Force hesitated to use force without ground spotters, a doctrine now under review (24:15–25:11).

6. Strategic Ramifications & Political Consequences

• Distraction by Iran:

  • Bannon criticizes Israel’s "maniacal focus" on Iran’s nuclear threat at the expense of missing the proximity and intent of Hamas (35:09–39:47).
  • Katz argues neutralizing Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis created a window to possibly act against Iran, opening intense debate (39:50–41:27).

• Wider Impact: Abraham Accords and Global Narrative

  • Hamas achieved multiple objectives, including ending Saudi-Israeli normalization efforts and galvanizing global pro-Palestinian activism (31:46–33:21).
  • Western capitals and university campuses see surges in pro-Hamas sentiment, pressuring governments toward recognition of Palestinian statehood (32:36–33:47).

7. The Aftermath: Who Really Won?

• Despite Israel's military operations, the war’s endgame is uncertain, with Hamas partially reconstituted, new international peace force proposals (involving Turkey, Qatar, and Arab states), and skepticism that "victory" is achieved if Hamas remains armed in Gaza (45:01–46:10).

"If this is how the war ends, this is not a victory for Israel. This is not a victory for the West."
– Yaakov Katz [45:31]

• Both agree the outcome is potentially catastrophic for Israel's strategic future (44:12–44:29).

8. Broader Lessons and Warnings

• Societal and institutional ossification led to failures at every level; complacency and overreliance on technology left Israel exposed (47:11–48:46).
• Calls for a deep, painful public inquiry—potentially the most impactful in Israeli history (42:10).
• Katz warns, "there’s more coming," emphasizing the need for fundamental change in intelligence and strategy before facing new threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, or Iran (48:49–49:30).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the surprise:
  "Strategic surprises will always happen. They'll happen again to Israel, they'll happen here, to the United States."
  – Yaakov Katz [02:22]

• Hubris and Western mindset:
  "I think it's a mix of hubris. On the one hand, they can't surprise us. We know everything, we're more powerful... Israel is a Western nation... kick the can down the road, don't deal with it if you can. Avoid the war, avoid the war."
  – Yaakov Katz [10:03]

• Tech vs. Human Intelligence:
  "You can't just rely on technology. And I think that's a big wake up call."
  – Yaakov Katz [13:02]
  "There is no real ever human intelligence even for verification of what's going on."
  – Steve Bannon [12:38]

• What victory looks like:
  "If this is what victory looks like, then this is not victory."
  – Steve Bannon [44:29]
  "No, but... there is something called decisive victory in war... We don't have that in Gaza today."
  – Yaakov Katz [46:10]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Book reception and initial overview: 01:17–03:29
• Israeli intelligence failures dissected: 06:15–08:55
• Analysis of overreliance on technology and its dangers: 10:52–14:33
• Detailed breakdown of Hamas attack and surprise: 15:58–20:39
• Possible insider threats and Iranian intelligence efforts: 20:39–22:20
• Operational response confusion in the IDF: 22:20–25:11
• Strategic distractions (Iran vs. Gaza): 35:09–39:47
• Global impact and Hamas’ broader success: 31:46–33:47
• Wider strategic and political consequences: 44:12–46:18
• Closing summary and calls for inquiry: 48:49–49:53

Conclusion

Yaakov Katz leaves listeners with a sobering warning: despite individual heroism, Israel's institutional failures, technological hubris, and policy missteps allowed a catastrophic surprise. As Israel and the West face entrenched threats close to home and growing unrest abroad, only deep introspection and structural reform can prevent future disasters.

"There will need to be a commission of inquiry... because we have to prepare for what’s coming—because there’s more coming. And that’s the brutal truth."
– Yaakov Katz [48:49]

Further Reading:

• While Israel Slept by Yaakov Katz
• YaakovKatz.com for more analysis

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