'Israeli army used controversial Hannibal directive during October 7 Hamas attack'

The Israeli military reportedly employed the Hannibal Directive during the October 7 attack by Hamas, according to a recent report. This directive is a contentious policy within Israel's military framework, designed to prevent the capture of soldiers by enemy forces, even at the risk of endangering the soldiers' lives.
During the attack, Hamas launched a significant assault on southern Israel, leading to intense clashes and a high number of casualties.The use of the Hannibal Directive during this incident has sparked considerable debate due to its controversial nature, a report in Aljazeera said.
The Hannibal Directive, initially formulated in the 1980s, aims to thwart the capture of Israeli soldiers by any means necessary, including the use of overwhelming force. Critics argue that this policy places soldiers' lives in jeopardy and can lead to excessive and indiscriminate use of force, potentially violating international humanitarian laws.
According to the report, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) invoked the directive in response to Hamas's aggressive actions, which involved taking hostages and infiltrating Israeli territory. The directive's implementation involved deploying significant military resources to prevent the capture of soldiers, even at great risk to those involved.
Hannibal directive
The Hannibal directive is a controversial military protocol used by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) until 2016 to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers by enemy forces. The key points about the Hannibal Directive are:
It was introduced in 1986 after a number of abductions of IDF soldiers in Lebanon and subsequent prisoner exchanges.
The directive authorized the use of maximum force, even at the risk of killing the captured soldier, to prevent the soldier from being taken prisoner.
The exact wording of the directive was never made public, but reports indicate it allowed soldiers to fire at vehicles, roads, and abductors to stop a kidnapping, even if it meant harming the captive soldier.
There were different versions of the directive that were interpreted differently by IDF commanders, leading to concerns about the value placed on a soldier's life.
The directive was officially revoked in 2016, but reports suggest it may have been invoked again during the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, where the IDF was ordered to prevent "at all costs" the abduction of Israeli civilians or soldiers.
The use of the Hannibal Directive is controversial under international law, as it risks violating a state's obligation to protect the right to life of its citizens, even if they are captured.