Israeli Military Reportedly Used 'Hannibal Directive' During October 7 Attack

Report by Haaretz

According to a recent report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Israel's military repeatedly implemented a strategy known as the "Hannibal Directive" during the Hamas-led attack on October 7. This protocol, designed to prevent the abduction of Israeli soldiers, was used even at the risk of endangering army captives and civilians.

Haaretz's findings were based on documents and interviews with soldiers and senior Israeli officers. The Hannibal Directive, an operational order developed in 1986, was implemented at three army facilities infiltrated by Hamas, potentially putting civilians in harm's way.

Details of the Hannibal Directive

During the early stages of the Hamas-led attack, Israeli soldiers were instructed that no vehicle could return to Gaza. At this time, the extent of the kidnapping along the Gaza border was unknown to the IDF, but it was aware of the involvement of many people. This made the implications of the order clear, and the potential fate of some of the kidnapped individuals.

The full text of the Hannibal Directive has never been made public. However, a Haaretz report from over two decades ago states that part of the directive includes rescuing soldiers from abductors even at the risk of harming or wounding the soldiers. The directive also allows for the use of light-arms fire to stop the abductors, even if it means hitting their own soldiers.

Incidents and Acknowledgements

Israeli authorities have admitted to "multiple incidents of our forces firing on our forces" on October 7. In April, Israel's military stated that one of the hostages taken by Hamas militants during the October attack was likely killed by Israeli helicopter fire. However, the IDF, which has reportedly killed more than 38,000 people in Gaza since October 7, has not confirmed whether the Hannibal Directive was used during the Hamas-led attack.

Haaretz emphasized that it does not know how many civilians and soldiers were hit due to these procedures, but the data suggests that many of the kidnapped people were at risk, exposed to Israeli gunfire, even if they were not the target.

Implementation of the Hannibal Directive

The first known use of the Hannibal Directive on October 7 was when an observation post at the Yiftah outpost reported a kidnapping at the Erez border crossing, adjacent to the IDF's liaison office. The command from divisional headquarters was 'Hannibal at Erez', meaning an unmanned assault drone, a Zik, was dispatched.

The directive was used at least two more times during the attack, according to Haaretz. One unnamed source in Israel's Southern Command stated that the country's forces were instructed to "turn the area around the border fence into a killing zone, closing it off toward the west."

Impact on Civilians

In one known case where civilians were hit, fourteen hostages were held in a house as the IDF attacked it, resulting in 13 deaths. In the coming weeks, the IDF is expected to publish the results of its investigation of the incident. This will answer whether Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram, the commander of Division 99 who was in charge of operations on October 7, was implementing the Hannibal procedure.

The report by Haaretz comes weeks after a United Nations investigation concluded that the IDF "had likely applied the Hannibal Directive" on October 7, resulting in the deaths of more than a dozen Israeli civilians.

Final Thoughts

The use of the Hannibal Directive raises questions about the lengths to which a military should go to prevent the abduction of its soldiers. Is it justified to put the lives of captives and civilians at risk? What are your thoughts on this matter? Share this article with your friends and discuss. You can also sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.