Declassified military command post records detail the chaotic minute-by-minute tactical realization of a strategic hostage crisis.
On Thursday morning, the IDF Archives at the Ministry of Defense released the original, official operation logs from the Southern Brigade’s command post, detailing the events of June 25, 2006, when Corporal Gilad Shalit was captured by Hamas.
The documents outline the swift execution of a heavily coordinated cross-border raid that initiated a major strategic crisis for Israel:
- The Infiltration: A heavily armed Hamas terrorist cell infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip utilizing a tunnel excavated directly beneath the border security perimeter near Kerem Shalom.
- Initial Contact: The cell launched a surprise assault on an IDF armored unit stationed near the perimeter.
- Casualties in the Unit: Two Israeli soldiers—Lieutenant Hanan Barak and Staff Sergeant Pavel Slutsker—were killed during the intense exchange of fire, and several other service members sustained wounds.
- The Abduction: Exploiting the smoke and tactical chaos of the battlefield, the operatives successfully pulled Shalit from his tank and moved him across the security fence into the Gaza Strip.
Timeline of the Command Post Response and Hannibal Directive
The newly unsealed logs provide a precise timeline of how the Southern Brigade command post processed the unfolding crisis in real-time on that morning:
| Time | Logged Event & Tactical Assessment |
| 5:13 a.m. | First reports of multiple explosions near Kerem Shalom; initially suspected to be incoming mortar or rocket impacts. |
| 5:14 a.m. | A critical update enters the log: “Casualties reported.” Attack helicopters and special forces are immediately scrambled as reports emerge of terrorists inside trenches. |
| 6:40 a.m. | The command post notes the first indicator of a missing soldier, logging: “A soldier is missing from the tank.” |
| 6:44 a.m. | The “Hannibal Directive”—the official IDF military protocol designed to halt the capture of domestic soldiers by enemy forces—is formally declared and recorded. |
| 7:12 a.m. | Ground forces locate a discarded protective vest and helmet near the security fence, noting an absence of visible drag marks. |
| 8:00 a.m. | Identity confirmation is logged: “Name of the abducted soldier: Gilad Shalit.” |
Afternoon Intelligence Assessments and Tactical Uncertainty
As the afternoon progressed, the command post shifted from immediate battlefield management to broader intelligence gathering, tracking, and regional threat assessments:
“The soldier is likely alive, location unknown, possibly outside our sector, the attack was carried out by Hamas. They have been planning this attack for about three weeks and it is unrelated to current operations or recent events in the Strip… This could escalate into a major confrontation due to the hostage.”
— Southern Brigade Command Post Summary
By 12:00 p.m., trackers analyzed physical evidence, noting that Shalit’s discarded vest exhibited bloodstains and shrapnel damage. At 4:34 p.m., the ground commander confirmed identifying Shalit’s physical tracks leading directly toward the suspected entry shaft of the infiltration tunnel.
The day concluded with deep intelligence anxiety; at 5:34 p.m., the post logged a highly alarming but unverified rumor circulating among intelligence networks suggesting that Shalit had already been smuggled through a tunnel system into neighboring Egypt to secure him for long-term negotiations.
