Gallant Reveals Details of the “Pager Operation” Against Hezbollah and Gaza War Management
Ex-Defense Minister exposes Israel’s war tactics, hostage policies, and government rifts.
Watan-Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant disclosed that preparations for the “Pager Operation” had been underway for years before the war, while also revealing key details about the management of the war and the issue of Israeli captives in Gaza.
Gallant on the “Pager Operation”
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Gallant stated that on the day he proposed attacking Hezbollah, thousands of pagers were already in the possession of the group’s fighters.
He explained:
“When we were forced to carry out the operation, the vast majority of the pagers were stored away, and their detonation caused no damage. If we had executed the operation on October 11, the pager explosions would have been insignificant compared to the detonation of wireless communication devices, which would have resulted in the elimination of thousands of Hezbollah members.”
The Pager Operation, conducted by Israeli intelligence, targeted thousands of Hezbollah fighters on September 17, reportedly killing dozens and injuring thousands.
These explosions occurred in multiple locations across Lebanon, including:
- Beirut’s southern suburbs
- Bekaa Valley
- Nabatieh
- Housh
- Bint Jbeil
- Tyre
- Tripoli
- Baalbek, and other areas.
“Hannibal Directive” Used in Gaza Captive Situations
Regarding Israeli captives in Gaza, Gallant confirmed that the Israeli army was ordered to implement the “Hannibal Directive”, a controversial military protocol that authorizes the killing of captives along with their captors to prevent hostage situations.
Internal Israeli Conflicts Over War Strategy
Gallant also made several striking revelations in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, including:
- Former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque exacerbated tensions and triggered escalation.
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich obstructed multiple hostage deals, threatening to withdraw from the government. Gallant claimed Israel could have reached a prisoner exchange agreement in 2024.
- Before the ground invasion of Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Gallant two key things:
- Thousands of Israeli soldiers would be killed in Gaza.
- Hamas would use Israeli captives as human shields.
Gallant said he responded to Netanyahu by pointing out that both Israel and Hamas shared a common interest in keeping Israeli captives alive.
He also criticized the Israeli government’s handling of prisoner recovery efforts, stating:”Even when I was defense minister, the government did not do everything in its power to bring back the captives.”
Gallant demanded a wide-ranging government investigation into the failures of October 7, emphasizing that Israel must establish an official inquiry.
Gallant Opposes Israeli Settlements in Gaza
Regarding post-war scenarios, Gallant rejected the idea of establishing Israeli settlements in Gaza, arguing that it would be almost impossible to impose military rule in the enclave.”If settlements are established in Gaza, the result will be catastrophic.”
Gallant’s Dismissal and Internal Likud Rift
In November 2024, Netanyahu dismissed Gallant, replacing him with Israel Katz as Defense Minister, while appointing Gideon Sa’ar as Foreign Minister.
Netanyahu cited a “breakdown of trust” between him and Gallant, claiming it was impossible to continue managing the war this way.
However, deep divisions within the Likud Party persist over Netanyahu’s handling of the Gaza war, the hostage crisis, and the contentious issue of conscripting ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews into the military.
Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchange Agreement
On January 19, 2025, a ceasefire agreement came into effect, initiating a three-phase prisoner exchange deal, with each phase lasting 42 days.
The agreement, brokered by Qatar and Egypt with U.S. support, required negotiations at the end of each phase before moving to the next.
Genocide in Gaza & ICC Arrest Warrants
With U.S. backing, Israel committed genocide in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, resulting in:
- Over 159,000 casualties, including martyrs and injured, mostly children and women.
- More than 14,000 missing persons.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, stating there were reasonable grounds to believe they committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
