Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleged in a televised interview that opposition politician Yair Golan, former deputy military chief of staff and leader of the Democrats party, was aware of the plan for Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack before it occurred.

Her comments, broadcast Monday on Channel 14, a network closely aligned with the government, have intensified political tensions in Israel ahead of the national elections scheduled for October 27.

Allegations against Yair Golan and opposition response

During the interview, Sara Netanyahu stated that Golan was “already dressed and ready” at dawn on Oct. 7, 2023, “while others knew nothing, including the prime minister.” The remarks were widely interpreted as an accusation that Golan had prior knowledge of the attack by Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. Channel 14 did not provide evidence to support the claim, and the allegation has not been corroborated by independent sources.

The Democrats party, led by Yair Golan, condemned the comments in a statement on the social media platform X, calling them “vile and deceitful.” The party added, “spreading conspiracies against Major General Yair Golan, and smearing his heroism on October 7, is crossing a red line that borders on insanity,” according to the official party account.

Gadi Eisenkot, former Israeli army chief and a leading opposition figure, also criticized Sara Netanyahu’s remarks. In a post on X, Eisenkot said, “These comments are intended only to stoke hatred and perpetuate Netanyahu’s rule.”

Israeli security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to Haaretz, stated that there is no evidence to suggest that any opposition figure had prior knowledge of the Hamas attack. The Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) has not commented publicly on the matter. Independent analysts, including Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, have described the allegations as “politically motivated and lacking substantiation.”

Political context and public opinion

The controversy comes amid heightened political polarization in Israel. According to a poll conducted by Camil Fuchs for Channel 13 in August, 40 percent of Israelis—and 63 percent of voters for the current right-wing coalition—believe that internal factors, described as “treason” in the poll wording, contributed to the October 7 attack. The poll surveyed 701 Israeli adults and had a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points. The results were published by Channel 13 on August 15, 2023.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, has repeatedly portrayed himself as the guarantor of national security. He has deflected blame for the Hamas attack, stating that security officials should have woken him from his sleep. According to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures, the attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people. Militants also took 251 hostages into Gaza, 44 of whom are confirmed dead.

Government spokesperson Eylon Levy, in a statement to Reuters, said, “The government categorically rejects any suggestion that opposition figures were complicit in the October 7 attack. The focus must remain on national unity and security.”

Aftermath and ongoing conflict

Israel responded to the October 7 attack with a large-scale military offensive in Gaza. According to the health ministry in the Palestinian territory, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered generally reliable by the United Nations, at least 73,454 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the offensive.

Independent verification of casualty figures in Gaza is not possible. The United Nations has stated that the health ministry’s numbers are generally consistent with its own assessments, but the figures cannot be independently confirmed due to ongoing conflict and access restrictions.

The controversy over Sara Netanyahu’s remarks highlights the deep divisions within Israeli society as the country prepares for a closely contested election. The debate over responsibility for the October 7 attack and the subsequent war in Gaza continues to shape political discourse and public opinion.