Israeli army ‘widely employed’ Hannibal Directive to target its citizens on 7 October

The Israeli 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.

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