What were the Factors that Contributed to Israel’s Lack of Knowledge?

As war ravages the Middle East in the aftermath of a surprise attack on Israel by Hamas militants, a recurring question stands out: How did Israeli intelligence—and their Western allies—not anticipate this? Various perspectives add to the intrigue and pose additional unanswered queries:

• CNN’s Joshua Berlinger provides historical background (source: CNN): “It has been over 17 years since an Israeli soldier was captured in a raid on Israeli soil. Israel hasn’t witnessed this level of infiltration in military bases, towns, and kibbutzim since the town-by-town battles of the 1948 war of independence. How did a terror group from one of the world’s poorest enclaves execute such a devastating assault?”
• Politico’s Jamie Dettmer highlights reports that indicate more than 2,200 rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza in the initial hours of the attack, suggesting meticulous planning over months or even years. “Hamas likely took advantage of their extensive network of tunnels connecting the enclave to Egypt, but how did they smuggle in the necessary materials for such a large-scale attack without arousing suspicions? And why didn’t Israeli intelligence detect Hamas’ production and assembly of thousands of homemade Qassam rockets?”