IDF's October 7 defense failure was at root of evacuation breakdowns, gov't probe finds

The IDF's inability to defend Gaza border communities on October 7 was a primary cause of subsequent failures in evacuating casualties from combat zones, according to a State Comptroller's report. State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman found that the evacuation system was hampered by a lack of orderly IDF response, unclear command-and-control arrangements with Magen David Adom (MDA), and delays in coordinating critical handover points for the wounded.

On that day, MDA received approximately 24,000 calls and opened about 7,400 incidents. However, the formal instruction for the Gaza Division to direct casualties through designated handover points only reached MDA nearly eight hours after the Hamas assault began. Evacuations from these points commenced shortly thereafter. Until then, civilians, security forces, and volunteers bore the brunt of rescue efforts, with a significant number of wounded arriving at hospitals independently.

The audit revealed that military medical officials did not use MDA's digital medical command platform on October 7. This system, installed in 2022, provided real-time information on emergency calls, casualty locations, and ambulance deployments. Its non-use meant that crucial data, which could have aided forces in reaching civilian casualties, was not shared with units operating in the fighting.

The IDF acknowledged its failure to defend the communities and stated that evacuations occurred amid heavy fighting, blocked routes, and shifting priorities. It also noted that Southern Command maintained contact with MDA and established a command medical operations room. The Health Ministry recognized the unprecedented nature of the attack and the challenges posed by active combat zones, but accepted the criticism, stating that many identified gaps have since been addressed through improved coordination during the war.