Accra:Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's former military secretary, Avi Gil, has accused the Prime Minister's Office of falsifying records related to events on October 7, 2023. He claims that a key phone call's recorded time was altered, as reported by Yedioth Ahronoth's Ynet news outlet via an interview aired on Channel 12.
According to Anadolu Agency, Gil, who served as Netanyahu's military secretary from July 2021 to May 2024, stated that a stenographer informed him in January 2024 of instructions from Netanyahu's chief of staff to change a call's time from 640 am to 629 am. Gil documented this account in a handwritten note to the attorney general and advised that any future investigations should seek original recordings.
Gil further alleged that Israeli security officials had suggested targeted operations in Gaza prior to October 7, but these were rejected by the political leadership. He also confirmed a previous report that Ronen Bar, the former Shin Bet chief, had warned Netanyahu of a potential war in July 2023, but clarified that the warning was not specifically about Gaza.
Additionally, Gil denied that the intelligence received on the night before October 7 warranted immediate action by Netanyahu, describing it as routine. He also could not verify reports of warnings from Egypt or the United Arab Emirates, citing his absence from the office on relevant dates.
Netanyahu has denied Gil's allegations and has blamed him for the failures related to October 7. The accusations emerge amid the intensifying campaign for Israel's general election on October 27.
Meanwhile, according to Palestinian figures, Israel's military actions in Gaza have resulted in over 74,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 175,000 injuries since October 2023. The conflict has devastated 90% of the enclave's infrastructure. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.