The October 7 surprise attack by Hamas, which claimed the lives of more than 1,400 Israelis, may have been facilitated by critical information published on an official IDF website, according to a report by Kan News.
A detailed virtual map of training bases, including specific locations such as mess halls, living quarters, and assembly areas, was publicly available on the IDF recruitment site, Mitgaisim. Hezbollah did not need secret intelligence to attack IDF bases, as key details were easily accessible online. According to Kan News, "Hezbollah didn’t need inside intelligence… much of this data was already accessible online."
The site, operated by Unit Mitav, is part of the IDF's effort to create a transparent and accessible recruitment process for potential conscripts. It offers recruits and their families a comprehensive view of the conscription process, including detailed overviews of training bases, classification procedures, and logistical information like leave schedules. While the site aims to simplify the recruitment experience, it inadvertently exposed sensitive military details that were exploited during the October 7 attack.
Site offered virtual tours, maps
The website reportedly offered detailed overviews of each training base, including virtual tours and maps marking sensitive areas. This level of transparency is believed to have allowed Hamas and Hezbollah to plan their assaults with deadly accuracy. In the attack on the Golani Brigade training base, where four soldiers were killed by a UAV strike, the timing and location of the strike were likely facilitated by information from the IDF’s website.
Further compounding the security risks, the website also published soldiers' leave schedules during the Sukkot holiday, which allowed Hamas to time their assault precisely. Kan News reported that “Hamas could easily prepare for the surprise attack on October 7.” Mounting criticism questions how such sensitive data was allowed to be publicly accessible.
This is not the first instance of security breaches linked to online platforms. Several soldiers have been found posting footage of IDF operations and base layouts on social media, further violating military security protocols.