Israel Reactivates Hannibal Directive in Gaza to Prevent Soldier Captures

Gaza, MINA – The Israeli military has reportedly reactivated the controversial Hannibal Directive in northern Gaza after Palestinian resistance fighters attempted to capture an Israeli soldier during clashes in Jabalia.

According to Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Israeli media reported that the directive was invoked in response to the attempted capture during intense fighting in the area.

Military analyst Brigadier General Hassan Jouni explained that the Hannibal Directive allows Israeli forces to launch heavy attacks in areas where a soldier is at risk of being captured, even if it results in the soldier’s death.

“This marks the second such attempt in recent weeks,” Jouni said. “A similar incident occurred in Khan Younis last week, which ended with the soldier being killed.”

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Jouni noted that these attempts signal a shift in Palestinian resistance tactics, aimed at destabilizing Israeli forces and inflicting greater losses across various parts of Gaza.

Heavy ground fighting continues in multiple areas, including the Shujaiya, Jabalia, and Al-Tuffah neighborhoods in northern Gaza, as well as Abasan al-Kabira and Abasan al-Saghira in the south.

Palestinian resistance groups are also targeting Israeli engineering units tasked with clearing mines and opening ground access for advancing troops. These attacks have reportedly disrupted Israeli operations, forcing the military into defensive positions. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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