Israel launches campaign to kill or capture all Oct 7 attackers: Report

According to the report, the operation is being coordinated through a special task force called “NILI,” which is named after a Hebrew phrase translating to “The eternal one of Israel will not lie.” Israeli officials quoted in the report described the mission as a long-term campaign aimed at ensuring that everyone connected to the attacks is either killed or captured. 

WSJ reported that Israel has relied on facial recognition systems, intercepted communications, drone footage, seized documents and human intelligence to identify the suspects. Some operations have reportedly extended beyond Gaza into Lebanon and other countries where Hamas-linked operatives are believed to operate.

An Israeli security official quoted in the report said the country intends to pursue attackers “for years if necessary,” drawing comparisons to earlier Israeli intelligence campaigns against militants involved in attacks on Israelis abroad. 

The report comes amid continuing tensions between Israel and Gaza despite ceasefire efforts by the latter. 

The operations targeting senior Hamas leaders have continued in recent weeks. According to a report by Reuters, Israel recently killed Hamas military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad in an airstrike in Gaza, with Israeli officials describing him as one of the masterminds behind the October 7 attacks. 

However, the campaign has also drawn criticism from human rights groups and legal experts, who questioned the legality of the targeted killings outside active battle zones and warned that such operations could further escalate the tensions in the region.

The October 7 attacks triggered the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, which has since expanded into a broader regional security crisis involving Hezbollah in Lebanon and rising tensions with Iran-backed groups across West Asia.