Ex-Netanyahu Aide Claims Oct. 7 Narrative Misrepresents Reality

Avi Gil, the former military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who served on October 7, 2023, has stated that the public narrative of the events of that day and the initial period of the war does not reflect the truth. Gil asserted that materials submitted by Netanyahu to the State Comptroller "do not reflect the truth" and are only "part of the truth, but not the whole truth." He expressed disappointment that an official, independent investigation committee has not been established, which he believes is a reason for his public statements.

Gil revealed that approximately two weeks after the war began, he noticed "disproportionate collection of materials" by individuals close to Netanyahu. He approached the Attorney General of the Government, requesting clarification on the proper procedures for handling transcripts and protocols. This led to a police investigation into suspicions that senior officials in Netanyahu's office attempted to alter protocols for War Cabinet meetings and transcripts of decision-makers' calls during the war's early days. Tzachi Braverman, the head of Netanyahu's office staff, is among those suspected.

Gil described the actions as a "criminal pattern of behavior by people who think everything is permitted to them," adding that the chief of staff acted as if "everything is permissible." He suggested these actions might have contributed to the current narrative that the Prime Minister was the sole actor during the initial chaos. Gil emphasized the need for any future investigation committee to demand full recordings, not just transcripts, due to uncertainty about what might have been altered.

Regarding warnings before October 7, Gil mentioned a specific instance of an Egyptian intelligence aircraft landing in Israel for over an hour, stating such a flight "does not come without a reason." He raised questions about who was on board or what message was delivered, and why it was not reported, suggesting a potential failure to disclose crucial information.

Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yachad Party, criticized Netanyahu's "culture of lying," claiming it endangers Israel. Eisenkot stated Netanyahu was "arrogant in the face of repeated warnings" and that during the initial hours of the attack, Netanyahu and his staff were focused on "crafting an alternative reality" to evade responsibility.

The Likud party, however, attacked Gil's interview as a "false and political propaganda campaign" aimed at undermining the right-wing government. The party reiterated its claim that Netanyahu received no prior warning of a Hamas attack and alleged that other entities saw real-time indicators on October 7 but failed to act or inform the Prime Minister.