[News] Israeli army ‘widely employed’ Hannibal Directive on 7 October

[Anti-Imperialist News]

middleeasteye.net
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-army-widely-employed-hannibal-directive-target-its-citizens-7-october>
Israeli army ‘widely employed’ Hannibal Directive on 7 October
By MEE staff
July 7, 2024
------------------------------

The Israeli <https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel> military
widely employed a directive allowing forces to kill their own citizens
during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, Haaretz reported on Sunday.

The Israeli Air Force bombed at least three military bases and
outposts during the attack.

Additionally, the military heavily fired at the fenced area separating Gaza
and Israel as Palestinian fighters returned to the strip with captured
Israelis.

The area was intended to become a “killing zone”, a source in the Israeli
army's Southern Command told Haaretz.

An order was also issued hours after the Hamas attack stating that “not a
single vehicle can return to Gaza”, which was understood as potentially
causing the death of kidnapped Israeli civilians or soldiers.

These orders, part of what is known in the Israeli military as the
“‘Hannibal Directive”, were “widespread” on the day, according to Haaretz.

The directive, when active, mandates that the Israeli army use any means
necessary to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers, even if it involves
killing them.

Haaretz based its report on documents and testimonies from soldiers and
mid-level and senior army officers.

The Israeli newspaper noted that it was unclear whether or how many
Israelis were targeted in these attacks.

However, cumulative data indicates many kidnapped people were exposed to
Israeli gunfire and were at risk, it added.

UN finds at least 14 Israelis likely intentionally killed by own army on 7
October

At least one publicly known case involved Israeli fire killing 13 citizens,
which received widespread coverage
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-un-killed-own-soldiers-army-7-october>
.

The Israeli military is conducting investigations into other events on 7
October and the immediate aftermath, with findings set to be released soon.

More than 1,150 Israelis and foreigners were killed in the Hamas-led attack
on southern Israel on 7 October, including around 30 children and 300
women.

Palestinians <https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine> also took
250 people captive, including Israeli civilians and soldiers. Around 120
remain in Gaza, many of whom are believed to have been killed in Israeli
air strikes.

Israel killed more than 38,000 Palestinians in the subsequent war on Gaza
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/israel-war-gaza>, including at least
17,000 children and over 10,000 women.

Invading Israeli forces have also abducted between 4,000 to 5,000
Palestinians from Gaza. Nearly 3,000 are estimated to remain in Israeli
custody, including dozens who have died under torture.
‘Crazy hysteria’

According to the Haaretz report, Israeli commanders made decisions in the
early chaotic hours of 7 October without verified information.

“There was crazy hysteria,” one source said. “No one had a clue about the
number of people kidnapped or where army forces were.”

One of the early uses of the Hannibal Directive came at 7.18am when a drone
strike was ordered on the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing after a report of a
kidnapping.

The Beit Hanoun crossing and the adjacent military base were repeatedly hit
with similar attacks throughout the day.

Other locations targeted by Israeli fire included the Reim base, where the
divisional headquarters is located, and the Nahal Oz military outpost.

"Anyone making such a decision knew that our combatants in the area could
be hit as well,” an Israeli military source told Haaretz.

<https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/gaza-war-hamas-lured-israel-lethal-trap-how>

War on Gaza: How Hamas lured Israel into a lethal trap


Another order, attributed to Brigadier-General Avi Rosenfeld, the commander
of the Israeli army's Gaza Division, instructed all forces to fire mortars
towards the Gaza Strip.

The order was given despite the military having limited information on the
whereabouts of forces and civilians. Many people hiding in bushes and open
areas at the time may have been within firing range.

The order was expanded hours later to prevent any vehicle from reaching
Gaza.

"Everyone knew by then that such vehicles could be carrying kidnapped
civilians or soldiers," a source in the Southern Command told Haaretz.

"There was no case in which a vehicle carrying kidnapped people was
knowingly attacked, but you couldn't really know if there were any such
people in a vehicle. I can't say there was a clear instruction, but
everyone knew what it meant to not let any vehicles return to Gaza."

At least one Israeli civilian was killed in the area due to army attacks.

Many Palestinians, including journalists and civilians near the fence, were
also killed in the attacks, with some still missing.
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