Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, former head of the IDF’s Hostage and Missing Persons Command, told the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University that Israel could have concluded the Gaza war at least a year earlier. He said roughly 40 hostages who were taken alive have since died in captivity, arguing that earlier decisions or different negotiations might have brought them back alive. Alon criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for opposing earlier deals and said the cabinet’s rejection of earlier, more comprehensive agreements in the name of 'total victory' was a false premise, according to Israel Hayom.
Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, who headed the IDF’s Hostage and Missing Persons Command during the current war, told the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University on Wednesday morning that Israel's decision-making prolonged the Gaza conflict unnecessarily by at least a year. Alon stated that of the hostages captured alive on October 7, roughly 40 have since died in captivity, and he did not forget that fact. He argued that different operational decisions or different negotiating approaches could have brought some of those hostages back alive. Alon directly criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich — whom he said opposed various agreements at different stages — asserting that Smotrich cannot take credit for the eventual return of all the hostages. The general also accused the cabinet and political leadership of rejecting earlier, more comprehensive deals in the name of 'total victory,' which he described as a false premise. The remarks, reported by Israel Hayom, come amid ongoing debate within Israel about the conduct of the war and the fate of remaining captives. The Zioneer has previously reported Prime Minister Netanyahu's own statements that he once believed a full military rescue was possible, as well as his rejection of earlier proposals he said would have yielded nothing.
2 developments
- StrongReligious Zionism party slams outgoing hostages chief Nitzan Alon's stance
- DevelopingLikud attacks outgoing hostages chief Nitzan Alon, defends Netanyahu's wartime decisions
- StrongEx-hostage command chief says Smotrich cannot claim credit for bringing back all captives
- DevelopingDemocrats leader Yair Golan: Netanyahu selling 'total victory' lie as north burns
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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