What did Israel know before October 7? | The Global Story podcast

This BBC News episode of The Global Story podcast looks at what Israel knew before the 7 October 2023 attacks, on the third anniversary of those events. Host Tristan Redman speaks with BBC correspondent Jon Donnison in East Jerusalem. The discussion covers reports that the government failed to act on warnings in the months before the attacks, which the prime minister has strongly denied. The episode also places these questions within the final weeks of an election campaign in which Benjamin Netanyahu's record on national security is under scrutiny. Chapters cover intelligence and security failures, the response on the day, and calls for an inquiry.

• Reports that warnings before 7 October 2023 were not acted upon
• Netanyahu's denial of the allegations and calls for an inquiry
• Intelligence and security failures and the response on the day
• Context of the election campaign and national security record

Israel is marking three years since the 7 October attacks, in which around 1,200 people were killed by Hamas-led attackers and a further 251 hostages were taken back to Gaza. The commemorations come in the final weeks of a pivotal election campaign. Benjamin Netanyahu’s record on national security is coming under immense scrutiny, amid reports that the government failed to act on warnings in the months leading up to the 2023 attacks – allegations that the prime minister has strongly denied. Tristan Redman speaks to BBC correspondent Jon Donnison, who is in East Jerusalem. #Israel #October7 #Gaza #BBCNews 00:00 Introduction 01:08 What warnings came before October 7? 05:14 Netanyahu and the calls for an inquiry 06:01 How October 7 changed Israel 07:24 Why this election matters 08:41 Israel’s intelligence and security failures 11:40 The warnings Israel allegedly ignored 14:05 The warning signs in the days before October 7 15:44 Netanyahu’s policy towards Hamas 18:12 The Qatar money sent into Gaza 19:49 What happened on October 7? 21:32 Why was Israel’s response so slow? 22:40 How did Israeli intelligence miss the attack? 23:55 How Netanyahu’s opponents are using October 7