Overview
- More than 200 former hostages, relatives and bereaved families published an appeal on the 800th day since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to set up a state commission of inquiry or step down.
- The October Council released the letter, which says a commission is the sole mechanism to investigate failures before, during and after the assault, including decisions on hostage negotiations.
- Signatories cited alleged breakdowns such as collapsed defense and intelligence systems, unanswered pleas for help, and hours-long abandonment of Gaza border communities.
- The appeal insists on a fully independent body with the authority to investigate, subpoena witnesses, review documents and issue enforceable conclusions, and it rejects participation by anyone under scrutiny.
- Haaretz reported a separate letter by 22 freed hostages with relatives and bereaved families pressing the same demand, while protests across several cities called for a state inquiry and highlighted the case of the last hostage, Ran Gvili; no official response was reported from Netanyahu.