Israeli army stops order to kill captured soldiers

Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot revoked the Hannibal procedure which aims to stop the captivity of soldiers even if the plan risks their lives, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported yesterday.

The newspaper said that new executive orders are being prepared to replace this order because this one “contradicts the army’s values and ethics.”

The order to revoke the procedure was issued about three weeks ago, the paper said.

The Hannibal procedure is the code name of a secret order that the Israel forces implement regarding how field units should act when an Israeli soldier is abducted at war or clashes with the enemy.

It was introduced in 1986 after a prisoner swap deal was reached between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israeli journalists have said that that the policy promotes the killing of captured soldiers to prevent the need for prisoner swaps.