While Israel Slept: Yaakov Katz on Hamas, Intelligence Failures, and the Future of the Middle East

On this episode, Andy sits down with Yaakov Katz, veteran journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, to unpack the hard lessons of October 7th and the evolving threats in the Middle East. Katz draws on three decades of reporting on Israeli defense and military affairs to explain how Hamas transformed from a fringe insurgency into a formidable force, the blind spots within Israel’s defense establishment, and the unintended consequences of overreliance on the Iron Dome. He also examines Iran’s deepening ties to Hamas, the intelligence gaps inside Gaza, and the ethical dilemmas of modern warfare in urban environments. 

Katz’s forthcoming book, While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East, will be released on September 2, 2025

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