IDF Lookouts Warned Commanders About Gaza Border Activity, But Were Ignored and Threatened
According to reports, IDF lookouts had raised concerns about suspicious activity along the Gaza border long before the October 7 terrorist attacks. However, their warnings were disregarded by their commanders, who told them to stop bothering them and even threatened them with court-martial, as reported by N12.
The Jerusalem Post, citing Israeli news station N12, revealed that the lookouts had been informing their commanders for months about unusual activity along the border. They witnessed unconventional training protocols and noticed an increased presence of individuals near the fence.
Despite one lookout reporting the matter to a senior commander, their concerns were dismissed. “I don’t want to hear again about this nonsense,” the senior commander reportedly said. “If you all bother us again with these things, you’ll be court-martialed.” Previous reports also indicated that commanders had referred to Hamas as “just a bunch of punks” who wouldn’t pose any threat.
One lookout told N12, as reported by the Jerusalem Post, that they had seen individuals with maps near the fence the day before the attacks. They warned their colleagues, stating, “Listen, something is going to happen. I see them planning things.” Other lookouts reported observing repetitive drills, including shooting, lying on the ground, and throwing grenades.
Tragically, their concerns turned out to be valid. “In the end, that’s what happened to me,” one lookout said. “They shot at me, threw grenades at me.”
N12 also revealed that the lookouts who were present during the attacks did not receive any psychological support from the army. Furthermore, they were informed that they would be transferred if they did not return to service within two weeks.
In response to these allegations, the military stated that soldiers were being closely and sensitively accompanied by mental health professionals. They clarified that the return to duty would be gradual and based on the condition of each individual. The military spokesperson emphasized that there were no intentions of taking disciplinary measures against the lookouts and any conversations suggesting otherwise would be addressed in accordance with the guidelines.
It is important to note that this article is based on the original report from Business Insider.
