There was no IDF force securing the Nova music festival; the IDF did not provide regional security; and while the police assigned a YASAM (police special forces) team to secure the event, this force was called away to an incident in Ofakim when rockets began falling on October 7, according to former Israel Police operations head and retired assistant chief Amnon Alkalay.
“So there was a lack of appropriate security forces” left at the site after the police special forces were called away, Alkalay told the unofficial October 7 probe on Thursday.
“There were some security people and officers left there. Some operational officers, some less [operational],” he said, explaining that some officers were initially there to maintain public order and direct traffic.
The families of those killed on October 7, representatives from the attacked kibbutzim, and civil society groups announced the probe last month. One of the primary goals of the committee, which is composed of legal and security experts, is to initiate the foundation of a state probe, which was shot down by Israel’s political echelon.
The source of the problems
Problems with the police response on October 7 were a result of its failure to learn the lessons of Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021, said Alkalay, adding that this was part of what prompted him to speak up.
“During Guardian of the Walls as well, the public cried for help, and no one came,” he said.
There was a misuse of forces, a failure to use the full potential of the police force, and problems with command and control, both in Guardian of the Walls and in the October 7 response, he explained.
It was unclear who was commanding the response to the Hamas attack on the Nova party, Alkali added.
After being asked to help direct police forces to three girls hiding near the scene of the Nova massacre, Alkalay was told by senior police officials that the deputy regional commander was in charge. Subsequently, he discovered the inaccuracy of this information. He was then told a different commander was in charge before discovering that this individual was also not in charge.
Alkalay pointed to what he called “a lack of reasonable management” of forces responding to events in Ofakim and Sderot, emphasizing that while the October 7 attack was a catastrophic event that was very hard to manage, basic action, such as appointing commanders to different regions, did not happen.
Alkalay also touched on the police response to the attack on Be’eri, saying he could not understand why only two jeeps from the special forces were sent to the kibbutz.
“At 11:00, I called the police commissioner and told him they were slaughtering Kibbutz Be’eri. He called me back in the afternoon and told me they were sending forces. In the afternoon, they sent two YASAM jeeps, and all the officers but one were killed.”
“What are you sending two jeeps for? I’m telling you they are slaughtering Beeri. It doesn’t make sense. Where is everyone?” he asked.
The Jerusalem Post has asked the Israel Police for comment.