Victims of the Hamas massacre will on Thursday petition the Supreme Court to instruct the government to establish a national commission of inquiry into the failures of October 7. The families of the murdered, and displaced along with families of hostages held in Gaza demand the commission investigate the political security leadership and their decisions leading up to the disaster to determine personal responsibility.
Among the petitioners are former minister Izhar Shay and his wife Hila, parents of Yaron Oree Shay, killed in the fighting during the Hamas atrocities, Brigadier General (res.) and former Fire and Rescue Commissioner Dedi Simchi, father of Guy who was killed in the battle with terrorists in Kibbutz Re'im, and others.
This is the second appeal for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into what let to the massacre. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara also believes one must be established immediately. However, the government has thus far refused.
The petitioners, through their attorney Gilad Barnea, write in their request for a conditional order: "There’s no need to elaborate on the necessity of investigating the causes and factors that led to the failures. Such an exceptional event has never happened in the 76-year history of the State of Israel."
The importance of the committee, they write, lies in "clarifying and investigating the failures and drawing conclusions so that measures and actions are taken to prevent their recurrence; investigating and determining those responsible for the failures; determining their responsibility and drawing conclusions based on the findings; investigating and clarifying what happened at each infiltration site on October 7 - to bring those responsible to justice."
The filing notes that the sooner a commission of inquiry is paneled and can begin its work, the sooner "its interim findings, if any, can immediately assist in decision-making processes and in managing the overall war, which is expected to continue for many months."
They said Israeli governments have in the past appointed such commissions even during military conflict. "The government's continued refusal to discuss the matter and, consequently, establish a state commission of inquiry, only intensifies and the continued harm to the public resulting from the trauma of October 7 and the feeling of betrayal and abandonment."
Former minister Izhar Shay said: "I swore on the grave of my heroic son Yaron to do everything to uncover the truth. Today, we, a representative group of those affected by the greatest disaster in the country's history, are beginning to fulfill that promise. We’re not looking for revenge; we want to uncover the truth and make real corrections wherever necessary to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself."