Ex-Netanyahu Aide Claims Attempt to Alter Oct. 7 Call Records

Retired Major General Avi Gill, who served as Prime Minister Secretary, has revealed alleged attempts to alter official records of calls made on the morning of October 7th. Gill stated in an interview with "Israel Hayom" that only 11 minutes separated two crucial phone calls he had with Netanyahu on that day. The first call was at 6:29 AM and the second at 6:40 AM. Gill claims that someone in Netanyahu's office attempted to change the recorded time of the first call, suggesting a motive to portray the Prime Minister as acting decisively from the outset of the Hamas attack. He also posited a more serious scenario, where altering the timestamp could obscure the timeline of intelligence received, potentially creating a false impression that critical information was known earlier. This, he explained, could be used to support a narrative suggesting betrayal if certain intelligence was indeed available earlier than recorded.

Gill, who woke Netanyahu on the morning of the attack and was involved in relaying early intelligence, remained silent for three years, awaiting a state inquiry. However, with no such commission formed, and after being approached by bereaved families and former hostages, he decided to speak out. He expressed concern over what he described as "disproportionate material gathering" by Netanyahu's associates in the weeks following October 7th, which led him to consult the Attorney General about the rules for using official transcripts. Approximately three months later, a stenographer reported that Netanyahu's Chief of Staff, Tzachi Braverman, had asked her to change the time of Gill's 6:29 AM call. Gill considered this a criminal act and reported it immediately.

Furthermore, Gill questioned the overall reliability of official records from the Prime Minister's office, urging any future inquiry commission to demand full recordings rather than transcripts. He also expressed skepticism about a document Netanyahu submitted to the State Comptroller, stating it did not reflect the complete truth. Gill also touched upon an unexplained visit by an Egyptian intelligence aircraft to Israel shortly before the war, noting that while he knew of no specific warning from Egypt, such a visit by an intelligence plane was unusual and warranted investigation into its purpose and any unreported meetings or information exchanges.

The Likud party vehemently rejected Gill's claims, labeling the interview part of a political campaign to undermine Netanyahu and the right-wing government. The party asserted that Netanyahu received no prior warning of the Hamas attack and that security officials repeatedly presented assessments of Hamas being deterred. The Likud statement further suggested that some individuals had noticed suspicious signs on the night before the attack but failed to update the Prime Minister or relevant authorities.