How Israel Methodically Eliminates Every Participant in the October 7 Attack — Even the Tractor Driver Who Breached the Border Fence

Funeral of one of Hamas's military wing leaders, Iz ad-Din al-Haddad, his wife and daughter in Gaza. May 16, 2026. As WSJ writes, al-Haddad was one of the last living high-ranking organizers of the October 7 attack whom Israel continued to pursue after the assault. Photo: AP Photo / Abdel Kareem Hana

On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a large-scale attack on Israel: armed groups breached the border with the Gaza Strip and attacked military facilities, cities, and kibbutzim in the south of the country. As a result, about 1,200 people were killed in Israel, and approximately 250 were kidnapped and taken to Gaza as hostages, which triggered the start of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

As WSJ writes, after Israeli special services failed to prevent the October 7 attack, intelligence officers approached the head of Israel's internal security service "Shin Bet" with a proposal to create a separate group to hunt down the participants of the attack.

It was named NILI — an acronym for the Hebrew phrase "The Eternal God of Israel will not lie." The name alludes to a Jewish spy network from World War I and was meant to emphasize: none of the attackers would be forgotten.

According to WSJ, this strategy is based on the experience of Israeli agents after the 1972 Munich Olympics, when intelligence hunted terrorists around the world for years.

Military intelligence and "Shin Bet" agents process thousands of hours of video that the militants themselves filmed on phones and GoPro cameras, and then uploaded to social media. Using facial recognition software, analysis of mobile tower metadata, and interrogating detained Gaza residents, Israel compiles a list of targets.

According to Israeli officials, a person can be included in the elimination list without trial if there are at least two pieces of evidence of their involvement in the October 7 crimes.

Павялічыць

Destroyed house in Kfar Aza following the Hamas attack. Photo: Amir Levy / Getty Images

As WSJ notes, identifying targets sometimes takes days, months, or even years. Before the ceasefire with Hamas, "Shin Bet" officers, the army, and the air force worked together in a special headquarters, tracking contacts, families, and movements of suspects. Often, security forces hoped that relatives or friends would lead them to people in hiding.

"Shin Bet" officers even prioritized targets based on whether their families could receive psychological comfort from the elimination of a specific person. Within the service, this was called "healing for the soul."

Even after the October ceasefire with Hamas and the release of the last living hostages, the operation continues. However, the NILI group has been reduced to a few operatives who track targets and pass information to the military in Gaza. Israel claims it is eliminating people who may still pose a threat — for example, by preparing attacks or approaching Israeli troop positions.

On April 12, the Israeli army reported the killing of Ali Sami Mohammad Shakri — a Hamas platoon commander accused of attacking the Nova festival and taking four hostages.

Three days earlier, Israel announced the elimination of "Islamic Jihad" militant Abd al-Rahman Omar Hassan Khudari, who is accused of attacking Kibbutz Nir Oz, where at least a quarter of the residents were killed or kidnapped.

On May 15, Israeli aviation dropped 13 bombs on a residential building and a car in Gaza to kill Iz ad-Din al-Haddad, one of the last living high-ranking Hamas militants. Haddad not only planned the October 7 attack but also, according to testimonies of freed hostages, was responsible for their detention in tunnels.

Павялічыць

Residential building in Gaza after an Israeli strike on May 15, 2026, which killed Iz ad-Din al-Haddad and his family. Photo: Getty Images

As WSJ writes, hundreds of people have already been removed from the elimination list. Israel does not stop even at minor perpetrators. Journalists describe a case where, two years after the attack, a tractor driver who breached the border fence that day was eliminated with an airstrike.

In parallel, hundreds of Gaza residents accused of participating in the October 7 attacks are in custody in Israel awaiting trial. Parliament recently passed a bill to establish a special military tribunal to hear their cases.

Ambiguous Assessment

Experts interviewed by the publication assess the effectiveness of Israel's chosen strategy differently. Michael Milstein, a former high-ranking Israeli military intelligence officer for Palestinian affairs, argues that revenge holds special significance in the Middle East. In his opinion, it is part of the language of force and a way to demonstrate serious intentions.

His colleague, former high-ranking "Shin Bet" officer Shalom Ben Hanan, stated that the main goal is to make future enemies "think twice" about the cost of similar attacks.

On the other hand, experts like Tahani Mustafa, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, warn that methodical killings could, on the contrary, motivate some to join armed groups, especially in the absence of a political path to resolve the fundamental problem of Palestinian statehood. She points to the fact of increasing Hamas recruitment during the war.

Павялічыць

Gaza Strip. Illustrative image. Photo: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana

International law expert Rachel VanLandingham noted that during wartime, armies have the right to kill combatants, including members of non-state groups, even during a ceasefire.

However, in her opinion, civilians suspected of crimes must be detained and tried. Extrajudicial killing of civilians is considered a war crime, and the main problem is to determine who is a combatant and who is not.

The Israeli military, in turn, states that international law allows them to attack civilians who are directly participating in hostilities.

Even among the victims themselves, there is no consensus on this campaign. For example, 64-year-old Aviva Siegel, who spent 51 days in captivity, states that she opposes new killings, as it is enough for her that she herself remained alive.

Nevertheless, as WSJ concludes, the Israeli operational group NILI continues its work, crossing new names off its list. Mossad head David Barnea stated in early 2024 that this operation could last for years — "like after Munich," but Israel "will reach them everywhere."

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