Israel Defense Forces soldiers in Gaza recently uncovered an attempt by Hamas to infiltrate its leading signals intelligence unit through a routine cleaning services contract, forcing immediate security protocol reforms.
The IDF team for documentation and exploitation of enemy materiel captured documents showing the terrorist organization’s plan to exploit civilian contractor access as pathway into Unit 8200’s classified base.
The Hamas attempt to breach the unit came after an online cleaning services tender was posted for one of Unit 8200’s facilities. Technical intelligence materiel seized in the Strip during later military activities revealed that the terrorist group had discovered the cleaning tender and used it as a possible pathway to access the Unit 8200 installation.
The tender was immediately put on hold and the IDF issued directives to strengthen protocols for military publications on public internet platforms.
Unit 8200, part of the Military Intelligence Directorate, is responsible for collecting signal intelligence (SIGINT), code decryption, counterintelligence, cyberwarfare and surveillance, similar to what the U.S. National Security Agency does. The unit is responsible for some 80% of the information gathered and produced for all intelligence branches. Unit 8200 is the largest unit in the IDF.
On Oct. 7, 2023, thousands of Palestinian terrorists invaded the Negev and massacred some 1,200 people, kidnapping 251 more into the Strip.
Channel 12 News reported in June of last year that critical systems used by Unit 8200 broke down on Oct. 6 and were only repaired some 90 minutes before Hamas launched its cross-border terrorist massacre.
The report, which revealed limited information on the alleged computer failure due to military censorship rules, claimed the systems only came fully back online after the attack was underway.
A former intelligence official told the broadcaster that “if the system had been working at those hours, it is very likely that dramatic information would have arrived that would have changed the intelligence picture.”
Also in June 2024, a three-member audit team from the IDF’s General Staff infiltrated the Unit 8200 base at the Glilot military camp in Ramat Hasharon, north of Tel Aviv. The three posed as officers and entered directly through the guard house without being challenged.
“For nearly three hours, they roamed the base unhindered, reached operational compounds, collected hundreds of classified documents and data material from secret computers,” according to a Ynet report.
If the three had been enemies, they could have caused severe damage to the base’s infrastructure, soldiers and staff in what would have constituted a huge blow to the IDF and Israel, the news site noted.
This is an edited version of a story originally published by Israel Hayom.