Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly took at least two hours to leave his residence in Caesarea and arrive at the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv. This delay occurred following the onset of a Hamas-led terrorist invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023.
The development comes as Israel prepares to hold its next general election on October 27, following the completion of a full four-year parliamentary term under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Earlier this week, Netanyahu’s office released what it said were minutes from his schedule on October 7. The records showed that Netanyahu was alerted to the invasion at 6:29 am but did not leave his home until 7:30 am, with his office attributing the delay to preparations for his convoy. Netanyahu arrived at the Kirya at 8 am, according to the released minutes. However, the document also noted that Shin Bet records put his arrival at 8:22 am. Channel 12, however, reported that unpublished minutes from Netanyahu’s diary placed his arrival at 9 am. The report also said Netanyahu did not contact his security chiefs after being woken by his military secretary at 6:29 am and did not speak to them until he reached the Kirya.
The broadcaster also quoted a “credible source” as saying the prime minister did not arrive until 9:30 am. The report, aired by Israeli television and cited by The Times of Israel, has raised questions over the prime minister’s movements in the crucial opening hours of the Hamas-led attack, as terrorists were overrunning communities along Israel’s Gaza border. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has led the country through three years of war.