IDF troops were instructed not to approach the Gaza Strip barrier on the eve of the October 7 massacre due to concerns of potential attacks and kidnappings by terrorists in the area. The shift in perception came after the completion of the barrier in 2022, with the main threat now being terror attacks against IDF troops. Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021 also contributed to this shift, giving the IDF a sense of victory. Prior to 2022, the IDF prepared for a scenario of Hamas terrorists infiltrating Israeli territory, but this was now considered of secondary importance.