Aharon Haliva, ex-head of the Israeli army’s Intelligence Directorate, has admitted in secret recordings that Israeli forces intentionally aimed to kill 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza as a “message for future generations.” Reported by Israeli Channel 12, his remarks reveal the deliberate scale of civilian targeting during the ongoing assault.

Haliva justified the staggering death toll, stating that children, women, and men were deliberately killed in retaliation for the October 7 attacks, asserting that “this had to be done as a message for the future.” He also acknowledged the collapse of Israeli command on that day, criticising the military for underestimating Hamas and relying on strategic arrogance rooted in overconfidence in Israel’s intelligence and army.

The former chief did not spare political figures, describing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “cowardly and a failure,” and accusing far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of ignorance and negligence. He called for a formal inquiry into the intelligence failures that left Gaza open to mass bombing and famine.

Haliva’s statements suggest that the Israeli campaign in Gaza has extended beyond retaliation, representing a deliberate strategy of mass killings and collective punishment aimed at inflicting generational trauma on Palestinians. These revelations add a chilling confirmation to long-standing reports of systematic targeting of civilians in the Strip.