Call for 'inquiry' into October 7 failure within Israeli government

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has called for the establishment of an official commission of inquiry into the October 7 failure.

According to a report by the Haaretz newspaper, Baharav-Miara sent a letter to the Supreme Court, which had asked for her opinion on petitions demanding that the court force the government to establish an official commission of inquiry into the failures of October 7.

In the letter, Baharav-Miara stated that an official commission of inquiry is the appropriate legal tool to investigate the events of October 7 and the war.

Stating that the government should discuss and decide on the matter as soon as possible, nearly one year and two months after the start of the war, Baharav-Miara expressed concern that the effectiveness of the investigation is being jeopardized by the indefinite and unknown delay in establishing the investigative mechanism.

Attorney General Baharav-Miara emphasized that an official commission of inquiry mechanism is appropriate due to its legally prescribed characteristics, particularly its full professional independence.

Baharav-Miara called for a comprehensive investigation and examination of the conduct of government systems as a whole to prevent further failures and to ensure that a catastrophe like October 7 does not happen again.

Meanwhile, according to a report by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that "the only way to restore trust is to thoroughly investigate and learn from the October 7 failure."

Herzog stated, "The state must initiate the process of investigating the negligence and disaster as soon as possible, in a credible and uncompromising manner. I reiterate my call for the existence of an official commission of inquiry in accordance with the law."

According to the Yedioth Ahronoth report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed the Supreme Court on December 2 that it did not have the authority to issue an order to establish an "official" commission of inquiry into the October 7 events.

While Netanyahu and his Likud Party demand the establishment of a "political" commission of inquiry with limited powers that lacks the authority to make binding decisions, the opposition wants the establishment of an official committee with full authority to investigate all individuals involved in the October 7 failure.

ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION OF GAZA AFTER OCTOBER 7

The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, launched a comprehensive attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, citing the need to "respond to continuous violations against Palestinians and sacred values, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Israel announced that 1,200 Israelis were killed and 5,132 people were injured in the October 7 attacks.

In Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 44,532 Palestinians, including approximately 17,492 children and 11,979 women, have been killed, and 105,538 people have been injured.

While it is reported that thousands of bodies remain under the rubble, civilian infrastructure is also being destroyed by targeting hospitals and educational institutions where people have taken shelter.

The Israeli army announced that 808 of its soldiers have been killed since October 7, the day the attacks on the Gaza Strip began, including 380 during the ground invasion process.

During the "humanitarian pause" in the clashes, which was granted for 4 days on November 24, 2023, and later extended for another 3 days, 81 Israeli and 240 Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange. On the other hand, Israel has continued to detain and imprison thousands of Palestinians.

In the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, 801 Palestinians, including 167 children, have lost their lives in attacks by Israeli soldiers and Israelis usurping Palestinian lands since October 7, 2023.