Technology AI, Science and New Things
Hamas’s breach of the Gaza border fence – one of the most sophisticated in the world – is a wakeup call for the the country’s security services
How did Israel’s multibillion-dollar border with Gaza let Hamas through? The 40-mile border between Israel and Gaza is one of the most surveilled and secure in the world, armed with batteries of sensors, radars and cameras.
And yet, according to security technology experts in Tel Aviv, few if any alarms sounded and authorities took an estimated six hours to respond to the initial attack. “I am not sure how the sensors and systems failed,” said one former IDF security expert.
“Cheap drones launching a relatively primitive bomb were able to put out some of our most expensive sensor arrays along our smart border and did so repeatedly.”
The IDF declined to comment, saying that investigations would begin when the fighting stopped.
Israel’s thriving tech start-up scene – nicknamed Silicon Wadi – is intricately linked with the IDF, with many companies spun out of the military or deploying tech devised by the armed forces. The infamous Pegasus spyware was developed by NSO Group, which has links to the Israeli defence ministry.
In response to Israel’s technological dominance, Hamas deliberately avoided technology that could be tracked and found other ways to avoid Israeli intelligence gathering.
“Every time Hamas would have planned meetings or moving people they couldn’t use a cell phone or a radio because they’re all monitored,” one ex-military analyst said. “The sophistication in planning and assembling this assault shows that reliance on technology itself is not enough for Israel.”
In 2021, Israel finished construction of a deep underground wall designed to block the tunnels previously used by Hamas to attack Israeli settlements. The wall is several metres deep, rises 20 feet above the surface and is packed with motion sensors to detect movement above and below ground. A network of radar arrays and other surveillance sensors monitor movement and trigger remote-controlled weaponry.
“Israel has developed big and relatively expensive strong tech platforms,” the expert explained. “These can be vulnerable to cyberattack. The IDF will have to rely on more swarms of smart autonomous platforms.”