IDF soldiers: 'Lessons of October 7 not learned in Judea and Samaria'

IDF surveillance post operators who served in Judea and Samaria say that the IDF has not learned lessons from October 7 and are warning of another horrific scenario in the near future.

'Nothing has changed since October 7. Until today, we are still digesting what we saw over two years,' said Noa and Ofri to Channel 13 News.

"Thousands of Palestinians approach the fence and the IDF does nothing. We have been seeing 60,000 people - and that is just one hole in the fence. There are many breaches in the fence, thousands could cross in one night. Maybe some go to work, beyond that we have no idea what they are doing here."

"I think what is happening today in Bat Hefer is a result of what happened during our service. How is it possible for a person to approach the territory of the State of Israel and simply cross with his entire family? They could do whatever they wanted. We warned of this as we sat there for two years. I arrived for reserve duty on October 8. A few days before October 7, a wall was erected there, but it is worth nothing, and the real danger is just behind it."

Regarding the abduction of the surveillance post operators on October 7, they recount "I felt they were taking a piece of my heart. What stops them from coming to harm me, my family, advancing a bit and reaching the heart of the State of Israel? What will we do if a terrorist arrives?"

'Our quarters were directly adjacent to the fence, which was the scariest part, like in Gaza, girls without weapons, behind a flimsy fence, not a proper wall. I don't think anything has changed. Only after something happens, maybe something will change," they concluded.

An IDF spokesperson said: "The surveillance post operators work in cooperation with the forces on the ground and influence the decision-making of the commanders. In recent years, the IDF has significantly improved its intelligence-gathering and detection capabilities in Judea and Samaria, along with changing its operational approach on the border and towards protecting nearby towns."