Tzvika Mor Criticizes Former IDF Commander Over Hostage Handling Comments

Tzvika Mor, father of captive soldier Eitan Mor and recent member of the Religious Zionist Party, spoke out on Thursday on Galei Yisrael radio regarding the controversy sparked by former head of the Captives and Missing Persons Unit, Nitzan Alon. Mor expressed no surprise at Alon's remarks, stating that Alon's views were well known among families of captives. He criticized Alon's approach, which prioritized the return of hostages as the central military objective, calling it a "very serious failure," especially coming from a high-ranking IDF officer.

Mor emphasized that the October 7 attack was not a hostage situation like those in the 1970s in Munich or Ma'alot, but a full-scale war in which Israel was attacked. He referenced Alon's accusation that the government and political leadership refused earlier comprehensive prisoner exchange deals in pursuit of a so-called "complete victory," which Alon called a lie.

Mor described the dire security situation, mentioning threats from thousands of Gazans, Hezbollah, and West Bank Arabs, and stressed that Israel was at war with soldiers and civilians taken captive. He argued that the military's focus should be on restoring sovereignty and deterrence, alongside recovering hostages. Mor condemned Alon's framing of the issue as a problem of a few individuals as a "terrible failure." The article also notes a response from former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, who called Alon's comments "irresponsible and slanderous."