Ex-hostage chief 'responsible' for Israelis murdered, kidnapped on October 7, minister claims

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu has publicly stated that former coordinator of hostage negotiations, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, bears responsibility for the Israelis murdered and kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas massacre. Eliyahu, a member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, made these assertions on the 1000-day mark since the attack in an interview with Army Radio.

"He's responsible for people kidnapped," Eliyahu declared, attributing Alon's responsibility to "an approach that placed the terrorists on the border fence." He further argued that if Alon's strategies had been followed, Hamas would now be positioned on the fences facing Israeli communities, implying a failure to prevent the initial incursion.

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He’s responsible for people kidnapped.

These accusations come as political tensions remain high regarding the handling of the ongoing conflict and hostage situation. Eliyahu's comments follow his own previous statements suggesting the Israel-Hamas War could have concluded a year earlier, potentially saving the lives of soldiers and hostages. The Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has historically opposed hostage deal terms, even leaving the coalition in January 2025 over disagreements on a ceasefire.

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If we had followed Nitzan Alon, we would now have Hamas on the fences facing the communities.

Alon himself has previously criticized the government's approach, particularly remarks by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who claimed credit for returning hostages. Alon countered that approximately 40 hostages taken alive had died, some possibly due to their captivity conditions or actions by their captors, and suggested that different decisions and negotiations could have led to more survivors. He rejected the notion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet deserved sole credit for their insistence on full hostage recovery over interim deals.

Political rivals have also weighed in, with Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot criticizing Eliyahu's statements. Eisenkot suggested the government is attempting to deflect responsibility for the failures surrounding the October 7 massacre and the subsequent events.

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Some other different decisions and negotiations could have returned them alive. That is definitive, and we should not forget it.