Brigadier General Barak Hiram was issued a command citation in connection with an event that took place amid the hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Hiram, who is expected to relinquish his command of the Gaza Division due to a tank shell incident on a residence in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7 where Israelis were being held hostage, was reprimanded following the explosion at a university in Gaza roughly two months prior.
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The incident that triggered this disciplinary action by Major General Yaron Finkelman, the head of the Southern Command, toward the commander of the 99th Brigade, took place about two months ago. Hiram had ordered a strike on Israa University in the vicinity of Gaza City because intelligence reports revealed the presence of terrorists and tunnel entrances on the university's premises.
Leveling Israa University in Gaza
The citation was issued against Hiram because he made this decision independently without adhering to the established chain of command. During the conflict in Gaza, explicit protocols are in place to regulate who has the authority to approve bombings and destruction of significant structures like government institutions, hospitals and other facilities.
Beneath the university, the IDF identified a vast network of tunnels – the largest discovered in Gaza. The university, located just a few hundred meters from the main entrance to the Strip, and the terrorists within it, posed a significant threat to the forces. While there were other instances where high-ranking officers who sensed a threat in the field sanctioned the demolition of buildings, the timing – near the start of Israel's trial at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, which attracted international media criticism – may have been a contributing factor to this unusual decision.
The IDF announced that a comprehensive review would be conducted regarding the destruction of a building at the university and the associated approval process for the detonation, overseen by the Southern Command's commander and then presented to the Chief of Staff. The probe found that Hamas had exploited the building and its vicinity for military operations against Israeli forces.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy recently initiated an inquiry into a situation at the Be'eri Kibbutz involving Hiram. Reports from Ynet and Yedioth Aharonoth revealed that Halevy has already engaged in discussions with the brigade commander. The latter demonstrated comprehension of the situation and appears poised to relinquish his position as Gaza Division commander for a role on the General Staff.
In a meeting within the Chief of Staff's assembly, Halevy affirmed the IDF would not lose Hiram. His military future will hinge upon whether his decision is deemed justifiable, or if he is absolved of responsibility for civilian fatalities that were not a consequence of his ordered tank shell fire. This will be determined through coordination between the two parties.
Prior to the war, in July 2023, it was agreed Hiram would assume command of the Gaza Division. In light of the incident at Kibbutz Be'eri, where it was alleged that civilian casualties resulted from a tank shell fired under Hiram's orders, closed-door IDF discussions, as reported in Ynet and Yedioth Aharonoth, suggested the possibility of assigning him to a staff role rather than the Gaza Division commander position.