Israel parliament advances bill for inquiry into Oct 7 failures

The Israeli parliament approved a bill in its first reading on Monday to set up a commission of inquiry into the security failings that led to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

"The purpose of the proposed law is to bring about a full, thorough, and independent investigation of the events of the... October 7 massacre" and the wars that followed, an explanatory note to the bill said. Under the proposed law, the commission's six members would be appointed by a two-thirds majority of Knesset members.

In the absence of an agreement, however, three members would be appointed by the ruling coalition and three by opposition lawmakers. Former hostages or bereaved family members would serve as observers, while the commission's deliberations would be broadcast to the public, according to the bill.