People who read should already have been aware of this but it is useful to have confirmation from an official about what has already been reported. Too late for justice but the truth still matters.

The Hannibal Directive is absolutely insane.

Roughly 250 Israeli soldiers and civilians were captured by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, in what they called Operation Al Aqsa Flood.

Israel’s response was to reactivate and unleash the Hannibal doctrine, extending it to Israeli civilians, as well as soldiers.

Fire from Israeli helicopters, drones, tanks and even ground troops was deliberately unleashed, in a failed attempt to prevent Palestinian fighters from taking live Israeli captives who would then be later exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

Roughly 1,100 Israelis were killed. It is still unclear exactly how many of these were killed by Israelis and how many by Palestinians. One year on, an investigation by The Electronic Intifada found that at least “hundreds” were killed by Israel.

Official figures, published for the first time last month, revealed that the Israeli Air Force fired 11,000 shells, dropped more than 500 heavy one-ton bombs and launched 180 missiles “during the fighting” on 7 October.