Leaked tapes of ‘Israeli’ intelligence chief reveal Netanyahu ignored Oct. 7 warnings: report

Leaked audio recordings of Major General Aharon Haliva, the former head of the ‘Israeli’ Military Intelligence Directorate, revealed the security failures that led to the events of October 7, 2023.

The recordings, broadcast by Hebrew Channel 12, reveal Haliva's contention that the catastrophe was not an isolated intelligence failure but a "cultural failure" and a deeper systemic breakdown that had been developing for years.

Haliva, who resigned from his position in April 2024, claimed a direct breakdown in communication with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the recordings, Haliva stated that his direct meetings with the prime minister, which were once weekly, had become infrequent, occurring only once every six months by the time of the attack.

This alleged political disconnect coincided with multiple warnings that were reportedly ignored across various intelligence echelons.

For at least a year prior to the attack, a junior analyst from the elite Unit 8200 had raised repeated alarms about detailed Hamas training exercises that mirrored the October 7 plan.

These warnings were dismissed by superiors due to the long-held institutional belief that Hamas was deterred and more interested in governing Gaza.

The internal intelligence failures were compounded by external warnings, as US intelligence reportedly notified the ‘Israeli’ government of a possible surprise attack from Hamas in the days leading up to October 7.

Beyond his critique of the security establishment, Haliva's most controversial statements addressed the ongoing war in Gaza.

He was recorded saying that "for every person killed on October 7, 50 Palestinians must die" and that the high Palestinian death toll was "necessary and required for future generations".

He added that Palestinians "need a Nakba every now and then to feel the price," referencing the mass displacement of Palestinians during 1948.

Haliva attempted to frame these remarks not as revenge but as a strategic necessity to create a "deterrent".