Did Israeli forces kill Israelis under the Hannibal Directive on October 7?
Haaretz reported that Israel's military used the Hannibal procedure on October 7, 2023, and a UN inquiry said Israeli fire likely killed at least 14 civilians in two incidents. The IDF defends its Be'eri tank fire. Mehdi Hasan says Western media ignored the question.
BackgroundWhat is the Hannibal Directive?
Claim in dispute
Haaretz reported that documents and testimony show the Israeli military used the Hannibal procedure on October 7, 2023 at the Erez crossing, the Re'im army base and the Nahal Oz outpost, and that at 11:22 a.m. the Gaza Division's network carried the order "Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza."
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
The fixed reference point for classification in this case is the Israeli military's use of fire on October 7, 2023, under or in the manner of the ExplainerHannibal DirectiveThe Hannibal Directive was an Israeli military order, drafted in the mid-1980s, that let troops use heavy force to stop a soldier from being captured, even if that force endangered the captive. Israel's military chief ordered it canceled in 2016.What is the Hannibal Directive?, that put Israeli captives at risk of being killed by Israeli forces. A response that criticizes that use of force is recorded as Condemned. A response that argues the fire was justified or acceptable is recorded as Defended or excused, and one that says it did not happen is recorded as Denied. A response that accepts or does not dispute that Israeli fire killed some Israelis but rejects claims about how many, or about what the fire meant, is recorded as Challenged the characterization. A label records a speaker's stated position, not our finding on how anyone died.
The Hannibal Directive was an Israeli military procedure, first approved in 1986, that directed the use of force to stop soldiers from being taken captive, even at risk to the captive's life. Haaretz (opens in a new tab) describes the procedure as intended to foil kidnapping "even at the expense of the lives of the kidnapped." The Algemeiner (opens in a new tab) reports that the military formally repealed it in 2016. The Associated Press (opens in a new tab) reported in 2014 that the procedure was designed in the mid-1980s by Yossi Peled, then head of Israel's Northern Command, after Hezbollah captured two soldiers in southern Lebanon, and that it faced criticism after its reported use in Rafah, Gaza, on August 1, 2014. In June 2016, the army's spokesperson said chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot had decided to cancel it and that a new directive would replace it; The Times of Israel (opens in a new tab) described the move as "not necessarily a full change in policy but a clarification," citing Haaretz.
On July 7, 2024, Haaretz published an investigation by Yaniv Kubovich, based on documents and on testimony from soldiers and officers. It reports that at 7:18 a.m. on October 7, after a kidnapping was reported at the Erez crossing, divisional headquarters ordered "Hannibal at Erez" and the dispatch of an unmanned assault drone, and repeated the order at 7:41 a.m. It reports that, according to information confirmed by the army, the procedure was also used that morning at the Re'im army base and the Nahal Oz outpost, and that at 11:22 a.m. the Gaza Division's network carried the order "Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza." Haaretz wrote that it "does not know whether or how many civilians and soldiers were hit due to these procedures." The IDF spokesman told Haaretz the military was conducting internal investigations and would present the results to the public.
The UN Commission of Inquiry reached its own findings a month earlier. Its detailed paper (opens in a new tab), released on June 12, 2024, says the commission "documented strong indications" that the directive was used in several instances on October 7. It cites a tank commander's statement to an Israeli news channel that his crew targeted two vehicles carrying militants and Israelis near Kibbutz Nir Oz. It concludes that in two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed by Israeli fire: a woman killed by helicopter fire as she was taken from Nir Oz, and 13 hostages in Kibbutz Be'eri killed by tank shelling and crossfire. The commission's main report (opens in a new tab) describes the same two cases as "resulting in the killing of up to 14 Israeli civilians" in one passage and says "at least 14" in another. The commission says Israeli officials refused to cooperate with its investigation, and it could not confirm whether helicopters fired at targets in the Nova festival area.
The New York Times, the UN commission and the IDF have each examined the Be'eri incident. Attackers held 14 hostages in the home of Pessi Cohen during a standoff with police and soldiers. The New York Times (opens in a new tab) reported in December 2023 that Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram recalled telling a tank commander, "Break in, even at the cost of civilian casualties," and that the tank fired two shells at the house. Hadas Dagan told the Times that shrapnel from the second shell killed her husband, Adi Dagan. Only two of the 14 hostages survived. A follow-up (opens in a new tab) reported that it was not clear how many died by tank fire and that the military would review the battle.
That review was presented on July 11, 2024. IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said (opens in a new tab) the IDF had failed to protect Be'eri, that the forces at the house made "professional and responsible decisions," and that tank fire came only after negotiations were exhausted. He said the inquiry found that, to the best of its assessment, no civilians inside the house were hit by tank fire, that most of the hostages inside appeared to have been killed by the attackers, and that one hostage outside was highly likely killed by tank shrapnel. The ABC reported in September 2024 that the IDF had not confirmed or denied that a version of the directive was applied on October 7. Some relatives dispute the IDF's account of the house or its decision to fire. Pessi Cohen's daughter-in-law, Sharon Cohen, told Israeli radio the finding was "not really true," and Omri Shifroni, whose relatives died in the house, told ABC News in Australia (opens in a new tab) that the decision to fire was "not moral."
The military has also said Israeli fire likely killed a hostage from Nir Oz. In April 2024 it said an Air Force probe found that Efrat Katz, 68, was likely killed when a helicopter fired on a vehicle carrying attackers and hostages from Nir Oz. It said its surveillance systems could not tell hostages from attackers in moving vehicles, and the Air Force chief found no fault with the crew, the Times of Israel reported (opens in a new tab).
On February 6, 2025, Yoav Gallant, who was defense minister on October 7, spoke about the directive in his first Israeli television interview since his dismissal. Channel 12 journalist Amit Segal told viewers the directive says to shoot to kill when a vehicle carries an Israeli hostage. Gallant said a defense minister's ability to give operational orders while events unfold is very limited. Asked whether an order was given, he answered that he thinks it was given tactically in various places and not in others, "and that is a problem," in the translation of a subtitled excerpt (opens in a new tab) published by The Electronic Intifada.
The responses divide over how many people Israeli fire killed and what that means. On July 11, 2024, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was asked whether the Haaretz report changed the department's view, as a reporter suggested Israel may have killed a majority of those who died. He said Hamas "is responsible for the overwhelming number of deaths on October 7th." In an October 2024 analysis of posts on X, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (opens in a new tab) wrote that the directive "has been central to false claims that Israeli security forces killed as many or more civilians than Hamas," and found that the Haaretz article was the most shared link in its dataset.
On October 6, 2026, Mehdi Hasan published a video monologue (opens in a new tab) and article (opens in a new tab) on Zeteo. He says the number of people killed on October 7 by Israel rather than by Palestinian armed groups is unknown, that mainstream Western outlets have ignored the question and Gallant's remarks, and that the Israeli military "should also have to answer for its actions on that chaotic and bloody day." The New York Times reported on the Be'eri tank fire in December 2023, and ABC News in Australia published an investigation into the directive in September 2024.
We could not find an official count of how many Israelis were killed by Israeli fire on October 7, and the military inquiries we reviewed address specific locations and incidents. The UN figure covers two incidents and is not a total.
People in this case
Yoav GallantDirectly involved
Matthew MillerCommented
Timeline
12 timeline entries on this page. Dates: August 1, 2014 to October 6, 2026
August 2014
1 event
Israel reportedly invokes the Hannibal procedure in Rafah
The Associated Press reported that Israel's military used the Hannibal procedure in Rafah, Gaza, on August 1, 2014, after soldiers feared militants had captured Lt. Hadar Goldin, and that the heavy shelling that followed drew criticism. The AP said Hamas fire killed Goldin and two other soldiers.
[01]Associated Press, August 13, 2014: Israeli tactic to stop soldier capture criticized
Source excerpt
"The order is that you cannot kill the soldier, but you can endanger him."
An Associated Press report by Aron Heller, read in the Portland Press Herald's republication, on the Hannibal Procedure after its reported use in Rafah, Gaza, on August 1, 2014. It reports that Yossi Peled, then head of Israel's Northern Command, designed the procedure in the mid-1980s after Hezbollah captured two soldiers in southern Lebanon, and drafted it with Col. Gabi Ashkenazi and Col. Yaakov Amidror. It quotes Amidror saying the order does not allow troops to kill the captured soldier but allows them to endanger him. It reports that the military would not officially confirm the order was enacted after Lt. Hadar Goldin's disappearance, that multiple officials said it was given, and that Palestinian health officials said the shelling killed some 100 Palestinians.
Associated Press, August 13, 2014: Israeli tactic to stop soldier capture criticized · Associated PressParagraphs on the procedure's origin, Yaakov Amidror's comments and the Rafah shelling
697 days between recorded events
June 2016
1 event
Israel's army says its chief of staff decided to cancel the Hannibal Protocol
The army's spokesperson said chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot had decided to cancel the Hannibal Protocol and that a new directive would replace it. The Times of Israel, citing Haaretz, described the move as not necessarily a full change in policy but a clarification of what the protocol entails.
[02]The Times of Israel, June 28, 2016: Israeli army cancels controversial Hannibal Protocol
Source excerpt
"The directive allows soldiers to use potentially massive amounts of force to prevent a soldier from falling into the hands of the enemy."
A report by Judah Ari Gross that IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot decided to cancel the Hannibal Protocol and that, according to a military spokesperson, a new directive would replace it to better match the situations soldiers are likely to face. It describes the directive as allowing potentially massive force to prevent a soldier's capture, including force that could endanger that soldier, and describes the move as not necessarily a full change in policy but a clarification. Citing Haaretz, it reports that a forthcoming State Comptroller report found that officers had differing understandings of the directive. It also describes the protocol's use in Gaza in August 2014, citing Palestinian reports of 150 dead and an IDF estimate closer to 40.
The Times of Israel, June 28, 2016: Israeli army cancels controversial Hannibal Protocol · The Times of IsraelParagraphs on Eisenkot's decision, the replacement directive, the State Comptroller report and the 2014 Rafah fighting
2657 days between recorded events
October 2023
2 events
Haaretz: Gaza Division orders invoke the Hannibal procedure on October 7
Incident
According to Haaretz, at 7:18 a.m. on October 7, 2023, after a report of a kidnapping at the Erez crossing, divisional headquarters ordered "Hannibal at Erez" and the dispatch of an unmanned assault drone, and at 7:41 a.m. again ordered "Hannibal at Erez," with an assault on the crossing and the base. Haaretz reports that the procedure was also used that morning at the Re'im army base and the Nahal Oz outpost, and that at 11:22 a.m. the Gaza Division network carried the order "Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza."
[03]Haaretz, July 7, 2024: IDF ordered Hannibal directive on October 7 to prevent Hamas taking soldiers captive
Source excerpt
"Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza" was the order.
An investigation by Haaretz military correspondent Yaniv Kubovich, based on documents and on testimony from soldiers and from mid-level and senior officers. It reports that the Gaza Division's network carried the order "Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza" at 11:22 a.m. on October 7, 2023, that the command "Hannibal at Erez" was given at 7:18 a.m. and again at 7:41 a.m., and that, according to information confirmed by the army, the procedure was also used at the Re'im army base and the Nahal Oz outpost. Haaretz writes that it does not know whether or how many civilians and soldiers were hit as a result. The article sits behind a paywall; we read the full text in Portside's republication of July 11, 2024 (https://portside.org/2024-07-11/idf-ordered-hannibal-directive-october-7-prevent-hamas-taking-soldiers-captive).
Haaretz, July 7, 2024: IDF ordered Hannibal directive on October 7 to prevent Hamas taking soldiers captive · HaaretzParagraphs on the 11:22 a.m. order, the Erez crossing orders at 7:18 and 7:41 a.m., the Re'im base and Nahal Oz outpost, and the IDF spokesman's responseA tank fires two shells at Pessi Cohen's house in Kibbutz Be'eri, where hostages were held
Incident
In the evening of October 7, 2023, after a standoff with attackers holding 14 hostages in Pessi Cohen's house, an Israeli tank fired two shells at the house on the orders of Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram, according to the New York Times and the UN Commission of Inquiry. Only two of the 14 hostages survived. Hadas Dagan told the Times that shrapnel from the second shell killed her husband, Adi Dagan.
[04]The New York Times, December 22, 2023: The Day Hamas Came (what happened in the Hamas attack on Be'eri)
Source excerpt
"The negotiations are over," General Hiram recalled telling the tank commander. "Break in, even at the cost of civilian casualties."
A 10-week New York Times reconstruction of the attack on Kibbutz Be'eri. It reports Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram's account of ordering a tank to fire on Pessi Cohen's house, where 14 hostages were held, and reports that, according to his wife Hadas Dagan, shrapnel from the second shell killed Adi Dagan. Only two of the 14 hostages survived.
The New York Times, December 22, 2023: The Day Hamas Came (what happened in the Hamas attack on Be'eri) · The New York TimesSections "3:25 p.m.: 'Take Them All to Gaza'" and "4 p.m.: A General's Dilemma"[05]UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/CRP.3: detailed findings on the attacks of October 7, 2023 in Israel
Source excerpt
According to the Commission's investigation, in these two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed as a result of Israeli Security Forces fire
A conference room paper dated June 10, 2024 and released with the commission's report on June 12, 2024. It says the commission documented strong indications that the Hannibal Directive was used in several instances on October 7, cites a tank commander's statement to an Israeli news channel that his crew targeted two vehicles carrying militants and Israelis near Kibbutz Nir Oz, and concludes that in two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed by Israeli fire: one woman by helicopter fire as she was taken from Nir Oz, and 13 by tank shelling and crossfire in Kibbutz Be'eri. The commission says it could not confirm whether helicopters fired at targets in the Nova festival area. The commission says Israeli officials refused to cooperate with its investigation.
UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/CRP.3: detailed findings on the attacks of October 7, 2023 in Israel · Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and IsraelSection on the Israeli Security Forces counter-offensive and the application of the Hannibal Directive, paragraphs 223 to 231, pages 44 to 46
76 days between recorded events
December 2023
1 event
The New York Times publishes Gen. Barak Hiram's account of the tank fire in Be'eri
Source release
A New York Times reconstruction of the Be'eri attack reported that Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram recalled telling the tank commander, "Break in, even at the cost of civilian casualties." On December 27 the Times reported that the account had stirred debate in Israel and that the military said it would review the battle.
[04]The New York Times, December 22, 2023: The Day Hamas Came (what happened in the Hamas attack on Be'eri)
Source excerpt
"The negotiations are over," General Hiram recalled telling the tank commander. "Break in, even at the cost of civilian casualties."
A 10-week New York Times reconstruction of the attack on Kibbutz Be'eri. It reports Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram's account of ordering a tank to fire on Pessi Cohen's house, where 14 hostages were held, and reports that, according to his wife Hadas Dagan, shrapnel from the second shell killed Adi Dagan. Only two of the 14 hostages survived.
The New York Times, December 22, 2023: The Day Hamas Came (what happened in the Hamas attack on Be'eri) · The New York TimesSections "3:25 p.m.: 'Take Them All to Gaza'" and "4 p.m.: A General's Dilemma"[06]The New York Times, December 27, 2023: A General's Account of Oct. 7 Battle for Be'eri Stirs Debate in Israel
Source excerpt
Only two out of the 14 hostages in the house survived that day; it was not clear how many died by tank fire.
A follow-up report saying the Israeli military would review the circumstances of the battle for Be'eri after the Times's December 22 reconstruction, which included Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram's account of authorizing tank fire on a house where hostages were held, stirred debate in Israel. It reports that some people defended Hiram and that critics said he recklessly endangered the hostages.
The New York Times, December 27, 2023: A General's Account of Oct. 7 Battle for Be'eri Stirs Debate in Israel · The New York TimesOpening paragraphs
105 days between recorded events
April 2024
1 event
IDF probe finds Efrat Katz was likely killed by Israeli helicopter fire
Incident
The Israeli military said an Air Force probe found that Efrat Katz, 68, of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was likely killed on October 7 when a helicopter fired on a vehicle carrying attackers and Israeli hostages. It said its surveillance systems could not tell hostages from attackers in moving vehicles, and Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar said he did not find fault with the crew.
[07]The Times of Israel, April 5, 2024: Efrat Katz likely killed by IAF helicopter fire during Oct. 7 abduction attempt, probe finds
Source excerpt
"As a result of the shooting, most of the terrorists in the vehicle were killed, and apparently also the late Efrat Katz," the Israel Defense Forces said.
Report on an Israeli Air Force probe into the death of Efrat Katz, 68, of Kibbutz Nir Oz. The IDF said a helicopter fired on a car carrying several attackers, that the car also held Israeli hostages, and that its surveillance systems could not distinguish hostages from attackers in moving vehicles. Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar said he did not find fault with the helicopter crew.
The Times of Israel, April 5, 2024: Efrat Katz likely killed by IAF helicopter fire during Oct. 7 abduction attempt, probe finds · The Times of IsraelFull article
68 days between recorded events
June 2024
1 event
UN Commission of Inquiry reports strong indications that Israeli forces used the Hannibal Directive
Source release
The UN Commission of Inquiry released its findings on the October 7 attacks and Israel's response. Its detailed paper says it documented strong indications that the Hannibal Directive was used in several instances and that in two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed by Israeli fire, in Kibbutz Nir Oz and Kibbutz Be'eri. The commission's main report describes the same two cases as "resulting in the killing of up to 14 Israeli civilians." The commission says Israeli officials refused to cooperate with its investigation.
[05]UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/CRP.3: detailed findings on the attacks of October 7, 2023 in Israel
Source excerpt
According to the Commission's investigation, in these two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed as a result of Israeli Security Forces fire
A conference room paper dated June 10, 2024 and released with the commission's report on June 12, 2024. It says the commission documented strong indications that the Hannibal Directive was used in several instances on October 7, cites a tank commander's statement to an Israeli news channel that his crew targeted two vehicles carrying militants and Israelis near Kibbutz Nir Oz, and concludes that in two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed by Israeli fire: one woman by helicopter fire as she was taken from Nir Oz, and 13 by tank shelling and crossfire in Kibbutz Be'eri. The commission says it could not confirm whether helicopters fired at targets in the Nova festival area. The commission says Israeli officials refused to cooperate with its investigation.
UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/CRP.3: detailed findings on the attacks of October 7, 2023 in Israel · Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and IsraelSection on the Israeli Security Forces counter-offensive and the application of the Hannibal Directive, paragraphs 223 to 231, pages 44 to 46[08]UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/26: report to the Human Rights Council, 56th session
Source excerpt
Israeli security forces had likely applied the Hannibal Directive, resulting in the killing of up to 14 Israeli civilians.
The commission's report to the Human Rights Council on the October 7 attacks and Israel's military operations, released on June 12, 2024 and issued in its final form dated June 14, 2024. Paragraph 36 says that in at least two cases Israeli forces had likely applied the Hannibal Directive, "resulting in the killing of up to 14 Israeli civilians," and that some or all of the 13 hostages held in a house in Be'eri were killed by Israeli tank fire. Paragraph 96 says the forces applied the directive in several locations, "killing at least 14 Israeli civilians." The detailed findings are in the accompanying paper A/HRC/56/CRP.3.
UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/26: report to the Human Rights Council, 56th session · Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and IsraelParagraph 36 (Israeli security forces and the Hannibal Directive) and paragraph 96
24 days between recorded events
July 2024
2 events
Haaretz reports the IDF ordered the Hannibal procedure on October 7
Source release
Haaretz published an investigation by Yaniv Kubovich, based on documents and testimony, reporting that the Hannibal procedure was used at three army sites on October 7, 2023. Haaretz wrote that it does not know whether or how many civilians and soldiers were hit as a result. The IDF told Haaretz it was conducting internal investigations and would present the results to the public.
[03]Haaretz, July 7, 2024: IDF ordered Hannibal directive on October 7 to prevent Hamas taking soldiers captive
Source excerpt
"Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza" was the order.
An investigation by Haaretz military correspondent Yaniv Kubovich, based on documents and on testimony from soldiers and from mid-level and senior officers. It reports that the Gaza Division's network carried the order "Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza" at 11:22 a.m. on October 7, 2023, that the command "Hannibal at Erez" was given at 7:18 a.m. and again at 7:41 a.m., and that, according to information confirmed by the army, the procedure was also used at the Re'im army base and the Nahal Oz outpost. Haaretz writes that it does not know whether or how many civilians and soldiers were hit as a result. The article sits behind a paywall; we read the full text in Portside's republication of July 11, 2024 (https://portside.org/2024-07-11/idf-ordered-hannibal-directive-october-7-prevent-hamas-taking-soldiers-captive).
Haaretz, July 7, 2024: IDF ordered Hannibal directive on October 7 to prevent Hamas taking soldiers captive · HaaretzParagraphs on the 11:22 a.m. order, the Erez crossing orders at 7:18 and 7:41 a.m., the Re'im base and Nahal Oz outpost, and the IDF spokesman's responseIDF presents its Be'eri inquiry and defends the tank fire at Pessi Cohen's house
Source release
The Israeli military presented its inquiry into the battle for Kibbutz Be'eri. It said the IDF failed to protect the kibbutz, that the forces at Pessi Cohen's house made professional and responsible decisions, that to the best of its assessment no civilians inside were hit by tank fire, and that one hostage outside was highly likely killed by tank shrapnel.
[09]IDF press briefing by spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on the Kibbutz Be'eri inquiry, July 11, 2024
Source excerpt
The team determined that from the information examined so far and to the best of our assessment, no civilians inside the building were hit by tank fire.
The IDF's English text of an evening briefing in which its spokesperson presented the military's inquiry into the battle for Kibbutz Be'eri, led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Mickey Edelstein. The briefing says the IDF failed in its mission to protect Be'eri, defends the decision to fire tank shells at Pessi Cohen's house, and gives the inquiry's assessment of how the hostages held there died.
IDF press briefing by spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on the Kibbutz Be'eri inquiry, July 11, 2024 · Israel Defense ForcesParagraphs on the hostage event at the home of Pessi Cohen and on the conduct of the senior commanders
57 days between recorded events
September 2024
1 event
ABC News in Australia publishes an investigation into the Hannibal Directive on October 7
Source release
ABC News in Australia published an investigation into accusations that Israeli forces killed their own citizens under the Hannibal Directive on October 7. It quotes Be'eri relatives, a former Air Force colonel, and an IDF statement that such questions would be looked into at a later stage.
[10]ABC News (Australia): Israeli forces accused of killing their own citizens under the 'Hannibal Directive' during October 7 chaos
Source excerpt
I think it was not the right decision, not a good decision and not moral.
An ABC investigation by its Middle East correspondents. It quotes Kibbutz Be'eri resident Omri Shifroni, whose aunt and her grand-niece and grand-nephew were killed in Pessi Cohen's house, Pessi Cohen's daughter-in-law Sharon Cohen, former Air Force colonel Nof Erez, and an IDF statement saying questions of this kind would be looked into at a later stage. The ABC corrected the story on September 10, 2024 to say a reported order was given at midday on October 7, not midnight.
ABC News (Australia): Israeli forces accused of killing their own citizens under the 'Hannibal Directive' during October 7 chaos · ABC News (Australia)Paragraphs quoting Omri Shifroni, Sharon Cohen and the IDF's statement to the ABC
153 days between recorded events
February 2025
1 event
Yoav Gallant says he thinks a Hannibal order was given tactically in some places
Claim
In his first Israeli television interview since his dismissal, former defense minister Yoav Gallant told Channel 12 that a defense minister's ability to give operational orders while events unfold is very limited. Asked whether an order to apply the Hannibal procedure was given, he said he thinks it was given tactically in various places and not in others, and that this is a problem.
[11]Defense minister confirms army orders to kill Israelis on 7 October (The Electronic Intifada, YouTube excerpt of Yoav Gallant's Channel 12 interview)
Source excerpt
אני חושב שבאופן טקטי במקומות שונים ניתנה
A 39-second excerpt, with English subtitles added by The Electronic Intifada, from Yoav Gallant's interview with Yonit Levi and Amit Segal on Channel 12 News, published by N12 on February 6, 2025 (https://www.mako.co.il/news-n12_magazine/2025_q1/Article-f0dc39bc717d491027.htm). Segal tells viewers the Hannibal Directive says to shoot to kill when a vehicle carries an Israeli hostage. Gallant says a defense minister's ability to give operational orders while events unfold is very limited, and, asked whether an order was given, answers in Hebrew that he thinks it was given tactically in various places, was not given in others, and that this is a problem. The Hebrew is our transcription of the audio, checked against the clip's subtitles.
Defense minister confirms army orders to kill Israelis on 7 October (The Electronic Intifada, YouTube excerpt of Yoav Gallant's Channel 12 interview) · The Electronic IntifadaFull clip, 0:00 to 0:39[12]The Electronic Intifada, February 7, 2025: Army was ordered to kill Israelis on 7 October, defense minister confirms
Source excerpt
"In other places it was not given, and that is a problem," he continued.
A post by Asa Winstanley reporting Gallant's remarks, which it says Gallant made to Channel 12 on Thursday, February 6, 2025, in his first Israeli television interview since being dismissed in November 2024. It links the full Hebrew interview on the Channel 12 website and the subtitled clip.
The Electronic Intifada, February 7, 2025: Army was ordered to kill Israelis on 7 October, defense minister confirms · The Electronic IntifadaOpening paragraphs
607 days between recorded events
October 2026
1 event
Mehdi Hasan's Zeteo video asks how many Israelis Israeli forces killed on October 7
Reaction
Zeteo published a video monologue and article by Mehdi Hasan on the Hannibal Directive. Hasan says the number of people killed on October 7 by Israel rather than by Palestinian armed groups is unknown, says mainstream Western outlets have ignored the question and Gallant's remarks, and backs calls by Israeli families for an independent investigation.
[13]The Hannibal Directive: Mehdi Hasan Asks 'Why the October 7 Media Cover-Up?' (Zeteo, YouTube)
Source excerpt
It's really kind of outrageous that mainstream Western media outlets have totally ignored this question, when the truth is that the Israeli media has not.
A 3 minute 27 second preview of Mehdi Hasan's 22-minute Zeteo monologue on the Hannibal Directive, posted to Zeteo's YouTube channel on October 6, 2026. Hasan sets out the October 7 death toll, says the number killed by Israel rather than by Palestinian armed groups is unknown, names outlets he says have covered the question, plays a subtitled clip of Yoav Gallant's February 2025 Channel 12 interview, and says major Western outlets ignored Gallant's remarks. The quotations are our transcription of the audio.
The Hannibal Directive: Mehdi Hasan Asks 'Why the October 7 Media Cover-Up?' (Zeteo, YouTube) · ZeteoFull video, 0:00 to 3:27[14]Zeteo, October 6, 2026: What Is the Hannibal Directive and How Many Israelis Did It Kill on October 7?
Source excerpt
The Israeli military, however, should also have to answer for its actions on that chaotic and bloody day
Hasan's written introduction to his video monologue, published on Zeteo on October 6, 2026. It says Western media outlets have ignored Israeli reporting on deaths caused by the Hannibal Directive, says Hasan agrees with Israeli families who want an independent investigation, and says the full 22-minute video is for paid subscribers while a 3-minute preview is free.
Zeteo, October 6, 2026: What Is the Hannibal Directive and How Many Israelis Did It Kill on October 7? · ZeteoArticle text accompanying the video
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Haaretz reported that documents and testimony show the Israeli military used the Hannibal procedure on October 7, 2023 at the Erez crossing, the Re'im army base and the Nahal Oz outpost, and that at 11:22 a.m. the Gaza Division's network carried the order "Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza."
Haaretz
Sources (1)
- Haaretz, July 7, 2024: IDF ordered Hannibal directive on October 7 to prevent Hamas taking soldiers captive · HaaretzParagraphs on the 11:22 a.m. order, the Erez crossing orders at 7:18 and 7:41 a.m., the Re'im base and Nahal Oz outpost, and the IDF spokesman's response
Disputed claim
The UN Commission of Inquiry said it documented strong indications that Israeli forces used the Hannibal Directive in several instances on October 7, 2023, and that in two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed by Israeli fire: one woman taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, killed by helicopter fire, and 13 hostages in Kibbutz Be'eri, killed by tank shelling and crossfire.
Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel
Sources (1)
- UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/CRP.3: detailed findings on the attacks of October 7, 2023 in Israel · Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and IsraelSection on the Israeli Security Forces counter-offensive and the application of the Hannibal Directive, paragraphs 223 to 231, pages 44 to 46
Disputed claim
The IDF said its inquiry found that, to the best of its assessment, no civilians inside Pessi Cohen's house in Kibbutz Be'eri were hit by tank fire, that most of the hostages inside were apparently killed by the attackers, and that one hostage outside the house was highly likely killed by tank shrapnel.
Israel Defense Forces
Sources (1)
- IDF press briefing by spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on the Kibbutz Be'eri inquiry, July 11, 2024 · Israel Defense ForcesParagraphs on the hostage event at the home of Pessi Cohen and on the conduct of the senior commanders
Disputed claim
Yoav Gallant, Israel's defense minister on October 7, 2023, said on Channel 12 that he thinks the order to apply the Hannibal Directive was given tactically in various places and was not given in others, and that this is a problem.
Sources (2)
- Defense minister confirms army orders to kill Israelis on 7 October (The Electronic Intifada, YouTube excerpt of Yoav Gallant's Channel 12 interview) · The Electronic IntifadaFull clip, 0:00 to 0:39
- The Electronic Intifada, February 7, 2025: Army was ordered to kill Israelis on 7 October, defense minister confirms · The Electronic IntifadaOpening paragraphs
Show fewer disputed claims
Disputed claim
Mehdi Hasan said mainstream Western media outlets have ignored the question of how many people Israel killed on October 7, and that the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, the BBC and most other mainstream Western outlets ignored Yoav Gallant's February 2025 remarks.
Sources (2)
- The Hannibal Directive: Mehdi Hasan Asks 'Why the October 7 Media Cover-Up?' (Zeteo, YouTube) · ZeteoFull video, 0:00 to 3:27
- Zeteo, October 6, 2026: What Is the Hannibal Directive and How Many Israelis Did It Kill on October 7? · ZeteoArticle text accompanying the video
Response record
Responses
Latest recorded positions: 5. Dates: July 11, 2024 to October 6, 2026
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2 responses on this page
Institute for Strategic DialogueInstitute for Strategic Dialogue "In some cases, the idea that the Israeli military deliberately killed its own citizens was linked to the ‘Hannibal Directive’ – a controversial Israeli military policy that directs the use of force (even if it poses a threat to life) to prevent the abduction of hostages. The Hannibal Directive has been central to false claims that Israeli security forces killed as many or more civilians than Hamas, and in downplaying well-documented war crimes against civilians."
Challenged the characterizationCase context: Did Israeli forces kill Israelis under the Hannibal Directive on October 7?
Read more
In an analysis of posts on X about October 7, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue wrote that the Hannibal Directive "has been central to false claims that Israeli security forces killed as many or more civilians than Hamas," and to downplaying documented war crimes against civilians. It found that the Haaretz article on the directive was the most shared link in its dataset.
Before the statement
ISD's analysis covers posts on X from October 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024. It says misrepresented findings from media investigations were used to suggest the Israeli military killed more of its own civilians on October 7 than Hamas did.
After the statement
ISD says the Haaretz article on the directive's use at three army facilities was mentioned 16,513 times on X, with a peak in the second week of July 2024, and shows a widely shared post that used it to shift responsibility for Israeli civilian deaths from Hamas to Israel.
Institute for Strategic Dialogue: Mis- and disinformation and conspiracy theories about the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel · Institute for Strategic DialogueSection "Conspiracy theories about October 7 and related reporting"Why this label?
The reference point is the Israeli military's use of fire on October 7, 2023, under or in the manner of the Hannibal Directive, that put Israeli captives at risk of being killed by Israeli forces. ISD calls false the claims that Israeli forces killed as many civilians as Hamas or more, and says the directive has been used to play down crimes against civilians. It does not dispute that the directive was used on October 7. That rejects how the conduct has been characterized rather than defending it. The closest competing label is Minimized, but ISD does not play down the use of fire itself; it disputes claims about its scale, so we used Challenged the characterization.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Matthew MillerU.S. State Department spokesperson"Boy, it certainly does not, Said. I don't think there's any question ... I don't think there's any question that it was Hamas ... I don't think it's any question it's Hamas that is responsible for the overwhelming number of deaths on October 7th."
Challenged the characterizationCase context: Did Israeli forces kill Israelis under the Hannibal Directive on October 7?
Read more
Asked at a State Department briefing whether the Haaretz report on the Hannibal Directive changed the department's view of October 7, and whether Israel may have killed a majority of those who died, spokesperson Matthew Miller said "it certainly does not" and that Hamas "is responsible for the overwhelming number of deaths on October 7th."
Before the statement
Four days earlier, Haaretz reported that the Israeli military used the Hannibal procedure at three army sites on October 7, 2023. At the briefing, Said Arikat of the Palestinian daily Al Quds cited that report and suggested Israel may have been responsible for killing a majority of those who died that day.
After the statement
The Algemeiner reported the exchange the next day and noted that the IDF had said it was conducting internal investigations into October 7 and would present the results to the public.
Video of Matthew Miller at the State Department press briefing, July 11, 2024 (posted on X)Full clip, 0:00 to 0:24The Algemeiner, July 12, 2024: US State Department spokesperson shuts down suggestion Israel responsible for majority of Oct. 7 casualties · The AlgemeinerArticle text and the embedded 24-second video of the July 11, 2024 State Department briefingHaaretz, July 7, 2024: IDF ordered Hannibal directive on October 7 to prevent Hamas taking soldiers captive · HaaretzParagraphs on the 11:22 a.m. order, the Erez crossing orders at 7:18 and 7:41 a.m., the Re'im base and Nahal Oz outpost, and the IDF spokesman's responseWhy this label?
The reference point is the Israeli military's use of fire on October 7, 2023, under or in the manner of the Hannibal Directive, that put Israeli captives at risk of being killed by Israeli forces. Miller rejects the suggestion that Israel killed most of those who died on October 7 and says Hamas was responsible for the overwhelming number of deaths. He does not address whether Israeli forces applied the directive or killed some Israelis. That disputes the scale implied by the question rather than defending the conduct. The closest competing label is Minimized, but he does not acknowledge Israeli-caused deaths and then play them down, so we used Challenged the characterization.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(17)
Reporting
Haaretz, July 7, 2024: IDF ordered Hannibal directive on October 7 to prevent Hamas taking soldiers captive
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on the 11:22 a.m. order, the Erez crossing orders at 7:18 and 7:41 a.m., the Re'im base and Nahal Oz outpost, and the IDF spokesman's response
Excerpt
""Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza" was the order."
About this source
An investigation by Haaretz military correspondent Yaniv Kubovich, based on documents and on testimony from soldiers and from mid-level and senior officers. It reports that the Gaza Division's network carried the order "Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza" at 11:22 a.m. on October 7, 2023, that the command "Hannibal at Erez" was given at 7:18 a.m. and again at 7:41 a.m., and that, according to information confirmed by the army, the procedure was also used at the Re'im army base and the Nahal Oz outpost. Haaretz writes that it does not know whether or how many civilians and soldiers were hit as a result. The article sits behind a paywall; we read the full text in Portside's republication of July 11, 2024 (https://portside.org/2024-07-11/idf-ordered-hannibal-directive-october-7-prevent-hamas-taking-soldiers-captive).
- Author
- Yaniv Kubovich
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
The Times of Israel, June 28, 2016: Israeli army cancels controversial Hannibal Protocol
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on Eisenkot's decision, the replacement directive, the State Comptroller report and the 2014 Rafah fighting
Excerpt
""The directive allows soldiers to use potentially massive amounts of force to prevent a soldier from falling into the hands of the enemy.""
About this source
A report by Judah Ari Gross that IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot decided to cancel the Hannibal Protocol and that, according to a military spokesperson, a new directive would replace it to better match the situations soldiers are likely to face. It describes the directive as allowing potentially massive force to prevent a soldier's capture, including force that could endanger that soldier, and describes the move as not necessarily a full change in policy but a clarification. Citing Haaretz, it reports that a forthcoming State Comptroller report found that officers had differing understandings of the directive. It also describes the protocol's use in Gaza in August 2014, citing Palestinian reports of 150 dead and an IDF estimate closer to 40.
- Author
- Judah Ari Gross
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Associated Press, August 13, 2014: Israeli tactic to stop soldier capture criticized
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on the procedure's origin, Yaakov Amidror's comments and the Rafah shelling
Excerpt
""The order is that you cannot kill the soldier, but you can endanger him.""
About this source
An Associated Press report by Aron Heller, read in the Portland Press Herald's republication, on the Hannibal Procedure after its reported use in Rafah, Gaza, on August 1, 2014. It reports that Yossi Peled, then head of Israel's Northern Command, designed the procedure in the mid-1980s after Hezbollah captured two soldiers in southern Lebanon, and drafted it with Col. Gabi Ashkenazi and Col. Yaakov Amidror. It quotes Amidror saying the order does not allow troops to kill the captured soldier but allows them to endanger him. It reports that the military would not officially confirm the order was enacted after Lt. Hadar Goldin's disappearance, that multiple officials said it was given, and that Palestinian health officials said the shelling killed some 100 Palestinians.
- Author
- Aron Heller
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Zeteo, October 6, 2026: What Is the Hannibal Directive and How Many Israelis Did It Kill on October 7?
Relevant passage: Article text accompanying the video
Excerpt
"The Israeli military, however, should also have to answer for its actions on that chaotic and bloody day"
About this source
Hasan's written introduction to his video monologue, published on Zeteo on October 6, 2026. It says Western media outlets have ignored Israeli reporting on deaths caused by the Hannibal Directive, says Hasan agrees with Israeli families who want an independent investigation, and says the full 22-minute video is for paid subscribers while a 3-minute preview is free.
- Author
- Mehdi Hasan
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
The Hannibal Directive: Mehdi Hasan Asks 'Why the October 7 Media Cover-Up?' (Zeteo, YouTube)
Excerpt
"It's really kind of outrageous that mainstream Western media outlets have totally ignored this question, when the truth is that the Israeli media has not."
About this source
A 3 minute 27 second preview of Mehdi Hasan's 22-minute Zeteo monologue on the Hannibal Directive, posted to Zeteo's YouTube channel on October 6, 2026. Hasan sets out the October 7 death toll, says the number killed by Israel rather than by Palestinian armed groups is unknown, names outlets he says have covered the question, plays a subtitled clip of Yoav Gallant's February 2025 Channel 12 interview, and says major Western outlets ignored Gallant's remarks. The quotations are our transcription of the audio.
- Author
- Mehdi Hasan
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Institute for Strategic Dialogue: Mis- and disinformation and conspiracy theories about the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel
Relevant passage: Section "Conspiracy theories about October 7 and related reporting"
Excerpt
"The Hannibal Directive has been central to false claims that Israeli security forces killed as many or more civilians than Hamas"
About this source
An ISD analysis of posts on X about the October 7 attack, collected between October 1, 2023 and July 31, 2024. It finds that the Haaretz article on the Hannibal Directive was the most shared URL in its dataset and that misrepresented findings from media investigations were used to suggest the Israeli military killed more of its own civilians than Hamas did. The page was last updated on September 3, 2026.
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Video of Matthew Miller at the State Department press briefing, July 11, 2024 (posted on X)
Excerpt
"I don't think it's any question it's Hamas that is responsible for the overwhelming number of deaths on October 7th."
About this source
A 24-second clip of the State Department's televised press briefing of July 11, 2024, posted on X by Eyal Yakoby and embedded in the Algemeiner's report on the exchange. It shows spokesperson Matthew Miller at the department's podium answering Said Arikat of Al Quds, whose question is heard at the start. The quotation is our transcription of the audio.
- Author
- Eyal Yakoby
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
The Algemeiner, July 12, 2024: US State Department spokesperson shuts down suggestion Israel responsible for majority of Oct. 7 casualties
Relevant passage: Article text and the embedded 24-second video of the July 11, 2024 State Department briefing
Excerpt
""I don't think that there's any question that it was Hamas that was responsible for the overwhelming number of deaths on Oct. 7," Miller responded."
About this source
Report on an exchange at the State Department press briefing on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in which Said Arikat, Washington bureau chief of the Palestinian daily Al Quds, cited the Haaretz report on the Hannibal Directive and asked whether it changed the department's view of what happened that day, suggesting Israel may have been responsible for killing a majority of those who died. The article embeds a 24-second video of the exchange posted on X. Our quotation of spokesperson Matthew Miller is a transcription of that video; the article's own rendering of his answer is slightly shorter.
- Author
- Corey Walker
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
The Electronic Intifada, February 7, 2025: Army was ordered to kill Israelis on 7 October, defense minister confirms
Relevant passage: Opening paragraphs
Excerpt
""In other places it was not given, and that is a problem," he continued."
About this source
A post by Asa Winstanley reporting Gallant's remarks, which it says Gallant made to Channel 12 on Thursday, February 6, 2025, in his first Israeli television interview since being dismissed in November 2024. It links the full Hebrew interview on the Channel 12 website and the subtitled clip.
- Author
- Asa Winstanley
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Defense minister confirms army orders to kill Israelis on 7 October (The Electronic Intifada, YouTube excerpt of Yoav Gallant's Channel 12 interview)
Excerpt
"אני חושב שבאופן טקטי במקומות שונים ניתנה"
About this source
A 39-second excerpt, with English subtitles added by The Electronic Intifada, from Yoav Gallant's interview with Yonit Levi and Amit Segal on Channel 12 News, published by N12 on February 6, 2025 (https://www.mako.co.il/news-n12_magazine/2025_q1/Article-f0dc39bc717d491027.htm). Segal tells viewers the Hannibal Directive says to shoot to kill when a vehicle carries an Israeli hostage. Gallant says a defense minister's ability to give operational orders while events unfold is very limited, and, asked whether an order was given, answers in Hebrew that he thinks it was given tactically in various places, was not given in others, and that this is a problem. The Hebrew is our transcription of the audio, checked against the clip's subtitles.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
ABC News (Australia): Israeli forces accused of killing their own citizens under the 'Hannibal Directive' during October 7 chaos
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting Omri Shifroni, Sharon Cohen and the IDF's statement to the ABC
Excerpt
"I think it was not the right decision, not a good decision and not moral."
About this source
An ABC investigation by its Middle East correspondents. It quotes Kibbutz Be'eri resident Omri Shifroni, whose aunt and her grand-niece and grand-nephew were killed in Pessi Cohen's house, Pessi Cohen's daughter-in-law Sharon Cohen, former Air Force colonel Nof Erez, and an IDF statement saying questions of this kind would be looked into at a later stage. The ABC corrected the story on September 10, 2024 to say a reported order was given at midday on October 7, not midnight.
- Author
- Eric Tlozek, Orly Halpern and Allyson Horn
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
The Times of Israel, April 5, 2024: Efrat Katz likely killed by IAF helicopter fire during Oct. 7 abduction attempt, probe finds
Relevant passage: Full article
Excerpt
""As a result of the shooting, most of the terrorists in the vehicle were killed, and apparently also the late Efrat Katz," the Israel Defense Forces said."
About this source
Report on an Israeli Air Force probe into the death of Efrat Katz, 68, of Kibbutz Nir Oz. The IDF said a helicopter fired on a car carrying several attackers, that the car also held Israeli hostages, and that its surveillance systems could not distinguish hostages from attackers in moving vehicles. Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar said he did not find fault with the helicopter crew.
- Author
- Emanuel Fabian
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
The New York Times, December 27, 2023: A General's Account of Oct. 7 Battle for Be'eri Stirs Debate in Israel
Relevant passage: Opening paragraphs
Excerpt
"Only two out of the 14 hostages in the house survived that day; it was not clear how many died by tank fire."
About this source
A follow-up report saying the Israeli military would review the circumstances of the battle for Be'eri after the Times's December 22 reconstruction, which included Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram's account of authorizing tank fire on a house where hostages were held, stirred debate in Israel. It reports that some people defended Hiram and that critics said he recklessly endangered the hostages.
- Author
- Aaron Boxerman, Natan Odenheimer and Ronen Bergman
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
The New York Times, December 22, 2023: The Day Hamas Came (what happened in the Hamas attack on Be'eri)
Relevant passage: Sections "3:25 p.m.: 'Take Them All to Gaza'" and "4 p.m.: A General's Dilemma"
Excerpt
""The negotiations are over," General Hiram recalled telling the tank commander. "Break in, even at the cost of civilian casualties.""
About this source
A 10-week New York Times reconstruction of the attack on Kibbutz Be'eri. It reports Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram's account of ordering a tank to fire on Pessi Cohen's house, where 14 hostages were held, and reports that, according to his wife Hadas Dagan, shrapnel from the second shell killed Adi Dagan. Only two of the 14 hostages survived.
- Author
- Patrick Kingsley, Aaron Boxerman, Natan Odenheimer, Ronen Bergman and Marco Hernandez
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
IDF press briefing by spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on the Kibbutz Be'eri inquiry, July 11, 2024
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on the hostage event at the home of Pessi Cohen and on the conduct of the senior commanders
Excerpt
"The team determined that from the information examined so far and to the best of our assessment, no civilians inside the building were hit by tank fire."
About this source
The IDF's English text of an evening briefing in which its spokesperson presented the military's inquiry into the battle for Kibbutz Be'eri, led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Mickey Edelstein. The briefing says the IDF failed in its mission to protect Be'eri, defends the decision to fire tank shells at Pessi Cohen's house, and gives the inquiry's assessment of how the hostages held there died.
- Author
- Daniel Hagari
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/26: report to the Human Rights Council, 56th session
Relevant passage: Paragraph 36 (Israeli security forces and the Hannibal Directive) and paragraph 96
Excerpt
"Israeli security forces had likely applied the Hannibal Directive, resulting in the killing of up to 14 Israeli civilians."
About this source
The commission's report to the Human Rights Council on the October 7 attacks and Israel's military operations, released on June 12, 2024 and issued in its final form dated June 14, 2024. Paragraph 36 says that in at least two cases Israeli forces had likely applied the Hannibal Directive, "resulting in the killing of up to 14 Israeli civilians," and that some or all of the 13 hostages held in a house in Be'eri were killed by Israeli tank fire. Paragraph 96 says the forces applied the directive in several locations, "killing at least 14 Israeli civilians." The detailed findings are in the accompanying paper A/HRC/56/CRP.3.
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
UN Commission of Inquiry, A/HRC/56/CRP.3: detailed findings on the attacks of October 7, 2023 in Israel
Relevant passage: Section on the Israeli Security Forces counter-offensive and the application of the Hannibal Directive, paragraphs 223 to 231, pages 44 to 46
Excerpt
"According to the Commission's investigation, in these two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed as a result of Israeli Security Forces fire"
About this source
A conference room paper dated June 10, 2024 and released with the commission's report on June 12, 2024. It says the commission documented strong indications that the Hannibal Directive was used in several instances on October 7, cites a tank commander's statement to an Israeli news channel that his crew targeted two vehicles carrying militants and Israelis near Kibbutz Nir Oz, and concludes that in two cases at least 14 Israeli civilians were likely killed by Israeli fire: one woman by helicopter fire as she was taken from Nir Oz, and 13 by tank shelling and crossfire in Kibbutz Be'eri. The commission says it could not confirm whether helicopters fired at targets in the Nova festival area. The commission says Israeli officials refused to cooperate with its investigation.
- Published
- Accessed
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Did Israeli forces kill Israelis under the Hannibal Directive on October 7?
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/did-israeli-forces-kill-israelis-under-the-hannibal-directive-on-october-7
The Dispute Index. "Did Israeli forces kill Israelis under the Hannibal Directive on October 7?". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/cases/did-israeli-forces-kill-israelis-under-the-hannibal-directive-on-october-7