In a cataclysmic turn of events, the Israeli military has been found to have deployed its so-called Hannibal Directive from the very outset of the October 7 conflict with Hamas, leading to tragic consequences. The Hannibal Directive, a long-shrouded military protocol, grants the Israeli forces the authority to use any means necessary, including potentially endangering the lives of captured soldiers, to prevent their capture by the enemy.
The investigation conducted by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has uncovered the harrowing details of this directive's implementation during the chaotic response to the Hamas attacks on that fateful day. The attacks, which killed 1,139 people and resulted in 251 captives being taken to Gaza, triggered a swift and uncompromising reaction from the Israeli military.
Delving into military documents and testimonies from soldiers and officers, the Haaretz report reveals the widespread knowledge and utilization of the Hannibal Directive across various levels of the Israeli command structure. Contrary to previous reports of its cancellation in 2016, the directive was deployed without any caveats or further clarification, suggesting its enduring presence within the Israeli military's arsenal.
As the chaos unfolded, the Israeli army issued orders to implement the Hannibal Directive at several locations, including the Beit Hanoon, Erez, crossing between Israel and Gaza. The directive's deployment, however, failed to distinguish between the capture of soldiers and the potential killing of civilians, leading to unintended loss of life on the Israeli side as well.
One chilling example cited in the report is a message sent to the Gaza Division, which simply stated, Not a single vehicle can return to Gaza. A source within Israel's Southern Command, responsible for policing parts of the borders, acknowledged that everyone knew by then that such vehicles could be carrying kidnapped civilians or soldiers ... Everyone knew what it meant to not let any vehicles return to Gaza.
The consequences of this directive's implementation have been devastating, with the Haaretz investigation estimating that more than a dozen civilians and soldiers were lost to Israeli fire on that day. The fate of the captives taken by Hamas into Gaza has become a defining issue of the conflict, driving public opinion against the Netanyahu administration in Israel.
The revelations surrounding the Hannibal Directive's deployment have reignited the debate surrounding the ethical and strategic implications of such a policy. As the world grapples with the aftermath of the October 7 events, the Israeli military's actions have come under intense scrutiny, raising questions about the balance between national security and the sanctity of human life.
