The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) used the 'Hannibal directive' during the Hamas attack on October 7, Haaretz, a leading daily, has reported. This directive allows soldiers to use force to prevent kidnappings, even if it puts the lives of hostages at risk, it said.
What is the Hannibal directive?
The Hannibal Directive is a controversial Israeli military policy that orders the use of maximum force to prevent the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, even if it means risking their lives. The policy allows soldiers to open fire without constraints, targeting not only the abductors but also potential escape routes, including junctions, roads and highways, a former Israeli army soldier told Al Jazeera.
The directive was last invoked in 2014 during the Gaza war, resulting in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians and accusations of war crimes. Although the Israeli army denied using the doctrine, it was reportedly revoked in 2016 and used again now.
According to the Haaretz report, the protocol was used by the IDF after the October 7 attack at three army facilities, potentially endangering civilians. A message sent to Israel's Gaza division at 11:22 am ordered that "not a single vehicle can return to Gaza," implying that vehicles could be carrying kidnapped civilians or soldiers.
"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," a source told the Israeli newspaper.
While the extent of harm to civilians and soldiers is unknown, soldiers' testimonies and IDF officers suggest it was used widely. The report stated that the Hannibal directive "did not prevent the kidnapping of seven of them [soldiers] or the killing of 15 other spotters, as well as 38 other soldiers".
On October 7, Hamas captured dozens of Israelis, including both soldiers and civilians. Many of these captives remain in the group's custody, while others were killed in subsequent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, 1,139 people have died in the attacks, with 250 taken captive.
Israel's onslaught in Gaza has killed 38,000 people and displaced 1.9 million -- about 90% of the city's population -- since the beginning of the war.
