Where did the Oct. 7 surveillance footage on Gaza-Israel border go?

Published December 5th, 2023 - 05:59 GMT
surveillance footage
Israeli border guards take position outside the Ofer military camp between Ramallah and Baytunia in the occupied West Bank city amid preparations for the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, on November 24, 2023. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)

ALBAWABA - Many uncertain reports emerged online saying that the surveillance footage from October 7 on the Gaza-Israel border disappeared and has been either missing or deleted. 

On Dec. 3, the Israeli news site Walla said that the military surveillance video from the Gaza border from Oct. 7, the day of Hamas’ surprise Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel, has "disappeared".

The Israeli website reported citing senior officers in the reserves who allegedly said that "an invisible hand" had "deleted videos" from the various military surveillance cameras showing the events of that day.

surveillance footage

In October, the Hamas military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced the Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel, which is the biggest offensive in decades. Palestinian fighters "infiltrated" Israel from the Gaza Strip, captured military bases and took over 200 hostages.

Authorities said that 1,200 Israelis were killed in the Hamas attack. On the other hand, over 15,500 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli airstrikes and attacks on Gaza.

According to a senior reserve officer from one of the divisions, "We sat down with one of the generals and were going to show him a video about one of the events, and we found out that someone had deleted the videos."

However, the Israeli Army explained denying the rumors that say the surveillance camera footage along the Gaza border was deleted or missing. 

The army clarified saying on Sunday evening in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "All the materials from the operational systems of the IDF related to documented events, are preserved and accessible to the relevant parties."

It maintained: "Like other operational materials, access to the materials is blocked to those who are not required to deal with them. Any other claim is baseless."

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