Father of Kidnapped Victim Criticizes Netanyahu's Response to October 7 Attacks

Boaz Zalmanovich, father of Aryeh who was kidnapped from Nir Oz on October 7 and later killed in captivity, sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the aftermath during an interview on Kan 11's "Midday" program. Zalmanovich responded to Netanyahu's recent comment that the main change in him since October 7 was weight loss, calling it a continuation of the prime minister's lack of leadership. He accused Netanyahu of treating the events of October 7 as insignificant, comparing it to a baby's minor burp, and said Netanyahu acts as if life only began on October 8, portraying himself as a hero from that point onward.

Zalmanovich further condemned Netanyahu for not visiting survivors in places like hotels in Eilat or the Dead Sea and for taking a year and a half to reach Nir Oz, suggesting there are still kibbutzim and communities the prime minister has not visited. He also criticized Netanyahu's focus on negative social media comments about his wife, saying the prime minister's disregard for the victims is painful and that Netanyahu should admit mistakes instead.

Describing his son's suffering, Zalmanovich recounted that Aryeh was tortured physically and mentally while held on a mattress on the floor of Nasser Hospital. He shared testimonies from other captives who witnessed Aryeh's decline, noting that he eventually stopped eating and drinking. Zalmanovich mentioned Farhan Qadi, another captive who was with Aryeh at the beginning and end of his captivity.

The interview also touched on Hamas's strategy to delay concessions from Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman's warning that within ten days, the Israel Defense Forces might run out of ammunition.