Israeli defense minister calls for October 7 probe

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted on ending the Gaza war first

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has called for setting up a commission of inquiry into the October 7 Hamas attack, contradicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position.

Netanyahu has repeatedly argued against any investigations while the Gaza war is ongoing, insisting that this would hamstring West Jerusalem’s conduct of operations against the Palestinian militants.

Speaking at a ceremony for graduating Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers on Thursday, Gallant said a commission should be set up right away, and investigate everyone.

“It must examine all of us: the decision-makers and professionals, the government, the army and security services, this government –  and the governments over the last decade that led to the events of October 7,” Gallant said.

“It needs to examine me, the defense minister, it must examine the prime minister, the chief of the staff and the head of the Shin Bet, the army and all the national bodies subordinate to the government,” he continued.

Such a commission should look into “intelligence and operational failures” on October 7 and how Hamas managed to build up its forces, but also how Israel has prosecuted its war on the group, Gallant added.

Opposition politician Benny Gantz had called for a commission of inquiry in May, before resigning from the war cabinet. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara asked Netanyahu about it last month, arguing that such a probe was key to countering complaints at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

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Traditionally, a state commission would be led by a retired Supreme Court justice, but Netanyahu is opposed to handing that much power to Esther Hayut, given her criticism of his judicial reforms. Baharav-Miara has argued that no other mechanism would do the job.

Earlier on Thursday, the IDF released the results of its internal investigation into the battle for Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, concluding that the army “failed in its mission” to protect its residents. The kibbutz has responded by calling for resignations of those responsible and demanding a state commission inquiry.

The liberal newspaper Haaretz reported last week that, during the Hamas incursion last year, the IDF issued the so-called Hannibal Directive to open fire on friendly troops and civilians lest they be captured by the militants.