Nova festival: Israel ‘withheld warnings’ about Hamas massacre

Domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet allegedly knew of threat but did not inform festival organisers.

No warnings about the imminent attacks were passed on to the organisers of the Nova festival, where 360 people died and a further 40 were taken hostage. Picture: Jack Hill/The Times

Israeli spies and military leaders knew of the threat Hamas posed to the Nova music festival before the October 7 attack, a newspaper has reported.

Haaretz said that spies and army chiefs met at about midnight and later at 3am on the day of the attack. It was concluded, however, that Hamas was staging a training exercise on the Gaza border rather than preparing an assault, the newspaper reported.

In a sign of the seriousness with which the warnings were taken, drone surveillance was increased. A unit known as Team Tequila, which had been trained to prevent abductions, was moved to Nahal Oz, a kibbutz close to the Gaza border. Two commando teams were also told that an incursion was possible. But the organisers of the Nova festival, being held three miles from the border, received no warning.

The promoters said that if they had received an alert an hour before the raid they could have cleared the site.

The dance-music event was staged in co-operation with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and approved by its Gaza division’s northern brigade. Army units had no knowledge, however, that a festival was being held.

When the organisers called the IDF on the morning of the slaughter, they were told to fend for themselves. The IDF only arrived at 3pm, by which time the survivors had escaped or had to play dead for hours. The festival will be scrutinised by an inquiry into the attacks when the war in Gaza is over.

An IDF source told Haaretz that Nova would be at the centre of the inquiry. The insider added: “This massacre should have been prevented.”

A report in The New York Times suggested that Israeli officials had obtained a 40-page battle plan called Jericho Wall a year before the attacks but failed to act.

On the night of October 6, the final day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, Israel’s intelligence agencies observed suspicious activity at the border.

Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the IDF chief of staff, right, was informed of the threat. Picture: IDF/Reuters

Senior figures from Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, the IDF and military intelligence held a phone conference at midnight. Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the IDF chief of staff, was told of the threat and Ronen Bar, the director of Shin Bet, attended a second meeting at 3am.

Haaretz said Colonel Haim Cohen, the Gaza commander who approved the festival, was aware of the meetings. At 3am a soldier reported a figure approaching the border fence but was ignored. Her superiors said she “warns them of everything”. At 5am soldiers were mobilised near Nahal Oz but were turned back by their commander.

The IDF said it was focused on eliminating Hamas. It added: “Questions of this kind will be looked into at a later stage.”

The Times