Four Israeli soldiers have gone missing during heavy clashes in Gaza’s Al-Zeitun neighborhood, with the Israeli army reportedly activating the controversial Hannibal Directive to prevent their capture.

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Israeli media described the fighting in Al-Zeitun as among the fiercest since October 7, 2023. Palestinian fighters carried out an ambush on a unit of Israel’s Nahal Brigade and attempted to seize more soldiers in a second operation in the same area. Extensive searches were launched, but no official statement has yet been issued by the Israeli military on the fate of the missing troops.

According to Israeli outlets, the Hannibal Directive was implemented as battles intensified through the night in Al-Zeitun, where additional Palestinian fighters joined the clashes. Reports confirmed that one Israeli soldier was killed and 11 others wounded, though the whereabouts of the missing remain unknown.

The events followed a statement earlier in the week from Abu Obeida, spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, who said the group had lost contact with Edan Alexander, a U.S.-Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza. His case has revived speculation that the Hannibal Directive is once again being used.

Israeli media also reported three major incidents against Israeli forces in Gaza on Friday, which required large-scale rescue and evacuation operations by helicopter. The confrontations took place in Al-Zeitun in southeastern Gaza City, in the Sabra neighborhood in southern Gaza City, and in Khan Younis in the south of the Strip. Palestinian resistance groups said they inflicted dozens of casualties on Israeli troops.

The Hannibal Directive was drafted in 1986 after the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah in Lebanon. It instructs Israeli forces to prevent the capture of their comrades at any cost, including lethal force against their own soldiers. The policy has long been criticized for effectively sanctioning the killing of Israeli troops to avoid their use as hostages.

During the Al-Aqsa Flood operation in October 2023, internal investigations revealed that Israeli forces killed their own civilians under the directive.

Since October 2023, at least 63,025 Palestinians have been killed and another 159,490 injured in Israeli military operations in Gaza, according to figures cited in the reports.

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