Hostage's Mother Accuses Ex-IDF General of Negligence in Son's Death

Iris Haim, the mother of Yotam Haim, who was mistakenly killed by IDF forces after being abducted to Gaza, has publicly criticized retired Major General Nitzan Alon, the former head of the Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate. In a Facebook post, Haim accused Alon of direct responsibility for her son's death, stating he should "go home in shame" before an investigation into his unit's failure.

Haim detailed how her son, along with two other hostages, Alon and Samer, left signs in Hebrew and English reading "3 hostages save us" and "SOS" while trying to escape in Gaza's Shejaiya neighborhood. She claims Alon dismissed these as Hamas tactics. Haim also mentioned a notebook found with hostages' handwriting, a recording of hostages' cries, and the fact that Yotam and Alon's voices were captured on camera, all of which she alleges were ignored by Alon's unit.

She further stated that even after Alon and Samer were killed and Yotam escaped, Alon did not realize they were hostages. Haim expressed deep pain that Alon never personally apologized to her, instead blaming the individual soldier who followed orders to kill anyone seen. She asserted that Alon, as the responsible commander, indirectly caused her son's "unnecessary death" despite having critical intelligence.

Haim questioned Alon's whereabouts and public appearances, suggesting he was trying to shift blame. She claimed Alon knew hostages were in a specific tunnel and that her son, Alon, and Samer were there, citing a meeting with a female officer on December 5th who mentioned a rescue plan. Haim accused Alon of failing to alert all sectors about the potential escape or presence of hostages.

Concluding her post, Haim stated that Alon could have saved her son, who escaped on his own rather than waiting for a deal. She expressed her pain that instead of apologizing and stepping down, Alon is misleading the public about hostage deals.