A state comptroller report published Tuesday found a series of major failures on the part of the government and emergency authorities in the mass evacuation and relocation of over 200,000 civilians in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, including late and sloppy evacuation processes, shirking of responsibility, and the lack of an agreed-upon, up-to-date protocol.

The damning report — exposing deep gaps in preparedness, coordination and responsibility among key government bodies tasked with managing the home front — is the 32nd by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman on civilian aspects of the post-October 7 attack period.

The report examined the evacuation and relocation of some 210,000 residents from southern and northern communities during the opening stages of the war. It reviewed the preparedness of local authorities before the war, the evacuation process after its outbreak, the housing of evacuees in hotels and other facilities, and the provision of basic education and welfare services.

“The government and the IDF failed in evacuating the residents and absorbing them,” the report found, adding that authorities had, since the 2006 Second Lebanon War, been told to formalize an orderly plan, yet did not do so.

The ombudsman concluded that residents didn’t manage to coordinate their evacuation with the IDF, and in some cases, were put in needless danger during the course of their evacuation.

In many cases, the formal evacuation process began very late and took days, long after Hamas infiltrated and massacred locals.

In Kibbutz Nahal Oz near Gaza, the evacuation only began 14 hours after the start of the Hamas invasion, and ended 24 hours after the attack began. The evacuation of Kibbutz Kfar Aza took 36 hours. In Kibbutz Nir Am, the evacuation was initiated 20 hours after the invasion, and in Mefalsim after 17 hours.

“The picture that emerged in the report is one of total disorder,” it said, finding a “systemic failure” by emergency authorities.

No up-to-date mass evacuation protocol

According to the report, a 2012 government decision established a national framework for the organized mass evacuation and relocation of civilians in emergencies, dividing responsibilities between the IDF and local authorities and tasking the Interior Ministry with identifying nationwide facilities capable of housing up to 300,000 people. The plan prioritized the use of schools and public........

© The Times of Israel