Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing calls for his resignation as Israelis question the “colossal failure” of the country’s security establishment on his watch, more so after reports emerged of Tel Aviv ignoring warnings from Egyptian intelligence that Hamas was planning something big.

As Israel responds to the broadest invasion in 50 years and moves to an emergency unity cabinet from an extreme Right-wing coalition government, Opposition politicians and the media are holding Netanyahu accountable.

Former defence minister Moshe Ya’alon was quoted by the Hebrew media as saying: “I called on the Opposition not to enter the government with Netanyahu, but to demand his resignation. He was warned several times, he did not let the Chief of Staff speak to the Cabinet. There is no trust in him, how can you lead a people to war like this? Every hour he remains in office is a detriment to the country.”

According to The Times of Israel, an “Egyptian intelligence official said that Jerusalem had ignored repeated warnings that the Gaza-based terror group was planning ‘something big’ — which included an apparent direct notice from Cairo’s intelligence minister to the prime minister”.

After arguing that the blame for the military failure lies squarely with Netanyahu, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz carried an opinion piece on Wednesday headlined “Netanyahu, resign now”. Penned by Nehemia Shtrasler, the article notes how Israeli army battalions were transferred from the Gaza border to guard settlers.

Calling the Hamas attack the “worst failure in the country’s history”, the author said: “For such a massive failure, there is no forgiveness. There is one person to blame for this terrible disaster: Benjamin Netanyahu.”

The Left-leaning newspaper carried another opinion piece titled “Netanyahu, a Gang Leader Who Can’t Go on Serving as Israel’s PM”, keeping up the pressure on the premier even as videos emerged on social media of protests by Israelis against the Prime Minister.

Historian Edward N Luttwak said in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “It happened on Netanyahu’s watch: so few troops were deployed in the perimeter around Gaza that they were easily overwhelmed, as in the case of the much-filmed single Merkava tank captured by Hamas, where at least 3 were needed. After the war, Netanyahu must patriotically resign.’’