The US intelligence community did not have prior knowledge of Hamas' plan to attack Israel, according to National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.
This statement comes in response to a report by The New York Times that Israeli officials had obtained the attack plans over a year before the Oct. 7 incident occurred, as per to Politico.
Biden Administration Reacts to Intel Gap in Hamas Attack Plans
Kirby, speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," stated that the intelligence community had indicated that they did not have access to the document. He also mentioned that there was no indication that Israel had shared the attack plans with the United States.
A senior White House official sought to distance the Biden administration from any potential political fallout resulting from the revelation that Israeli intelligence agencies had discovered Hamas' plans but dismissed them as implausible. Kirby stated that US intelligence agencies had determined that they had not received or had any knowledge of the attack plans detailed in the document.
Regarding the coordination between US and Israeli intelligence officials, Kirby mentioned that intelligence analysis can sometimes have missing pieces, and in this case, the US intelligence community had no advance warning of the attack plans.
Kirby agreed with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that an investigation into the matter could wait until after the war with Hamas. The Israeli military's efforts against Hamas have resulted in a significant number of casualties, with thousands of Palestinian civilians, including children, losing their lives.
The Biden administration's support for Israel's actions in the conflict has attracted both praise and criticism. Conservatives and older Democrats commend President Biden for standing beside a close ally, while younger generations criticize his apparent appeasement of a right-wing Israeli government and call for a permanent ceasefire to prevent further civilian deaths, according to Independent, according to Independent.
US Assists Israel in Hamas Intelligence Gaps
Given the revelation that Israeli intelligence failed to detect the attack plans, the US is now reportedly assisting Israel in identifying gaps in information gathering. House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Turner stated that the US is working closely with Israeli intelligence to address these gaps.
The New York Times report indicated that Israeli officials had known about Hamas' plan for over a year but dismissed it as too ambitious to carry out. However, the attack plans were followed with chilling precision and resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people.
The revelation raises questions about how Hamas obtains sensitive information about Israel's military forces and communication hubs. It also raises concerns about leaks within Israeli intelligence.
Within the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, there is a growing call for the United States to address deficiencies in intelligence gathering and take measures to avert future attacks.Within the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, there is a growing call for the United States to address deficiencies in intelligence gathering and take measures to avert future attacks.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Biden administration will address the criticism and work towards a resolution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The support for Israel's actions and the handling of the war have had an impact on the president's popularity among key demographics, with polls indicating a decline in enthusiasm and support, Mail Online reported.
