Yair Golan Releases New Footage of Oct. 7 Rescue Efforts Amid Defamation Threat

New footage has emerged showing Yair Golan, chairman of the Meretz party and former IDF deputy chief of staff, assisting in the evacuation of injured individuals from the Nova music festival on October 7th. This release comes amid a conspiracy theory amplified by Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who suggested Golan had prior knowledge of the Hamas attack.

The exclusive video, captured by reporter Omri Maniv of N12 near Ofakim, shows Golan among a group of people helping evacuate survivors. Oz Davidian, who was present and also helped rescue civilians alongside Golan, corroborated the timeline, stating Golan arrived around 11:30 AM. Davidian explicitly refuted claims that Golan arrived in the early morning hours, calling them "a lie."

Davidian also addressed manipulated images circulating online, which he claims are used to falsely suggest Golan met with Hamas operatives. He explained that in these doctored photos, he is removed, leaving Golan alone, with reflections in his glasses allegedly showing a pickup truck and a survivor, but Davidian asserts it was his truck and the survivor he was rescuing.

Sara Netanyahu had previously stated in an interview that Golan, due to his military background, was "dressed and ready very, very early" on October 7th, implying he had knowledge before the Prime Minister. In response to these allegations, Yair Golan has sent a legal notice to Sara Netanyahu, demanding a public apology and financial compensation within 24 hours. Golan stated that if she fails to comply, he will file a defamation lawsuit seeking at least 2.5 million shekels, with any awarded damages to be donated to Nova festival survivors.

Davidian further detailed that he and Golan rescued three children hiding from attackers and that Golan assisted in evacuating additional people. The footage and Davidian's testimony aim to counter the conspiracy theories and highlight Golan's actions during the initial hours of the Hamas assault.