Minister Amichai Eliyahu Blames Former Commander Nitzan Alon for October 7 Kidnappings and Killings

Israeli Minister Amichai Eliyahu sharply criticized retired Major General Nitzan Alon, former head of the Prisoners and Missing Persons Command, accusing him of responsibility for the kidnappings and murders during the October 7 attack. In an interview with Galei Tzahal on Thursday, Eliyahu said Alon should apologize, stating, "Because of Nitzan Alon, people were kidnapped and murdered." He argued that if Alon's approach had been fully implemented, Hamas would have remained at the border fence, and Israel would have retreated from areas like Rafah, leaving Hamas control over 70% of the Gaza Strip, resulting in more civilian deaths. Eliyahu described this strategy of keeping militants at the fence as the cause of the disaster.

Eliyahu also addressed his party Otzma Yehudit's brief tenure in the government, noting they had limited time to influence the system. He reiterated his long-standing warnings that the Oslo Accords and the Disengagement would lead to massacres, blaming the group behind these policies and saying most Israelis now understand this.

The dispute escalated after Alon's remarks at the Herzliya conference at Reichman University, where he criticized the political leadership for rejecting prisoner exchange deals in pursuit of an unattainable total victory. Alon challenged claims by Minister Bezalel Smotrich that all hostages were returned thanks to him, stating about 40 kidnapped hostages died in captivity and could have been saved if some deals had been accepted.

In response, prime ministerial candidate Gadi Eizenkot condemned Eliyahu, calling him an irresponsible minister who disparaged a national hero responsible for rescuing hostages.