Spy balloons that could have warned Israel's military of Hamas' ruthless October 7 attacks were 'inoperable' and had not been maintained, security sources claim

Spy balloons which could have warned of the catastrophic Hamas attack on October 7 were out of action because they had not been upgraded or properly maintained, it was claimed last night.

Israeli security and industry sources have told the Mail on Sunday that three of the seven technology-laden 'aerostats' on the Gaza border were inoperable, leaving a dangerous hole in Israel's intelligence defences.

Around 1200 civilians were murdered when Hamas broke through the border fence on October 7 and embarked on a campaign of mass murder, taking around 240 hostages in the process.

Some victims were burned alive in an atrocity that caused international revulsion.

The white, helium-filled Skystar balloons, which had once been a key part of Israel's security operation over Gaza, are equipped with a payload of cameras, sensors and spyware.

But security and industry sources claim some of these were no longer functioning by the time of the Hamas attack, accusing the Israeli authorities of neglecting the balloons, some of which still operate on analogue signals.

The Mail on Sunday has been told that only two out of 32 brigades of the Israeli Army, the Israeli Defence Force, were close to the Gaza border at the time of the attack, with suggestions that guarding West Bank settlers had taken priority in recent months – and in particular over the weekend of the religious holiday, coming one day after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Security sources also confirmed that Hamas were able to disable watch towers by using cheap drones to drop explosives on them – a tactic possibly learned from the war in Ukraine.

They say the aerostats have long been a key part of Israel's early warning system and that had they been working, the outcome might have been different.

They suggest the breakdown was caused by a lack of investment by the government and while the malfunctioning aerostats, made by Israel-based RT Aerostats, which also operates in the US, were continuing to fly over the border with Gaza, the technological equipment on board had stopped working.

Normally, they would be operated by teams of two or three people on the ground.

But it is understood the malfunctioning balloons were still operating on analogue signals and had not been upgraded.

Last night, an industry source with detailed knowledge of the balloons confirmed: 'The payload in the aerostats was obsolete. They didn't put any budget towards upgrading or buying new payloads or different payloads.

'Unfortunately, I heard with my own ears high-level officers say that Gaza was fully protected with sensors and everything and the value of the aerostats was coming down so there was no need to invest in them.

'We all know now that was a mistake.'

RT's aerostats have reportedly been sold to security services around the world.

Last night, a spokesman from the Israeli embassy made no comment.