Former IDF commander Halevy says that the army did not know that Hamas planned the attack on October 7. Halevy said that the army's priorities are first Iran, then Hezbollah, then Hamas, and that Israel should have fought the war in Gaza. According to him, the IDF, the General Security Service (SHIA) and the political echelon believe that Hamas does not want war, because it wants to prove that it can take care of 2 million Palestinians in Gaza in preparation for later control of the West Bank. Halevi added that Hamas made many efforts to push this assessment.