Michael Starr
Role at the time: Journalist, HonestReporting
Statement summary
Michael Starr said Zeteo misrepresents the Hannibal Directive as an order to kill Israelis, arguing that it removes live-fire safety limits while fire stays aimed at attackers.
“The directive is a removal of safeties that come with the use of live fire, as Americans may be familiar with danger close mortar or artillery strikes. Fire is directed at hostiles, not at hostages, but the safety protocols are essentially removed. You are shooting at risk to friendlies, not at friendlies.”
Michael Starr's post on his X account on October 6, 2026, quoting a Zeteo post about Mehdi Hasan's video.
Why we used this label
The reference point is Israeli 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. Starr disputes the description of the directive as a command to kill Israelis and says reported friendly-fire deaths number about a dozen, while calling the procedure controversial. That rejects how the conduct is characterized rather than arguing it was justified. The closest competing label is Minimized, but he does not play down deaths he accepts; he disputes what the procedure orders.