Full Breakdown
Victims’ Families Unveil “October 7 Files” and Call for Accountability
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Release of the “October 7 Files”
On October 7 families of victims of the Hamas onslaught disclosed a collection of documents and reports dubbed the “October 7 Files.” The dossier, described as a 12-page compilation, draws on publicly available material, testimony and statements to argue that the massacre was the result of a long-term policy rather than solely an intelligence lapse. The release was accompanied by a press conference in Tel Aviv on September 15, 2026, where survivors and relatives presented the files and demanded answers.
Background: Policies and Warnings Over Fifteen Years
The families contend that decisions made during Benjamin Netanyahu’s tenure—spanning nearly the entire fifteen-year period preceding the attack—created conditions that allowed Hamas to strengthen. They cite four thematic sections in the dossier:
1. Non-targeting of senior Hamas leaders – including a reported proposal by former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to assassinate Yahya Sinwar that, according to the families, was rejected.
2. Transfer of Qatari funds – alleged to have financed Hamas’s military infrastructure.
3. Ignored warnings – such as a Haaretz report that Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu about Sinwar’s intentions in late September 2023; Netanyahu’s office denied any such warning.
4. Post-attack narrative management – accusations that the government seeks to “rewrite history” and shift blame onto security services for the three-hour window before the assault.
Families’ Demands and Criticism
They demanded that all officials implicated—“the prime minister, the defense minister, the IDF chief of staff, the opposition, the Mossad, Shin Bet, National Security Council”—be investigated and, if found guilty, imprisoned.
Official Government Response
The Netanyahu administration responded by denying the existence of the alleged Emirati warning and by emphasizing that the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces and intelligence agencies also requires investigation. No formal inquiry has been announced, and the government has not indicated plans to prosecute the officials named by the families.
Data & Statistics
- 12-page dossier titled “Case 7/10.”
- The “October 7 Files” comprise “thousands of puzzle pieces” that families say illustrate how policy decisions led to the massacre.
- The press conference was held six weeks before the scheduled October 27 election, in which Netanyahu is seeking another term.
Verbatim Quotes
- “ Another October 7 victim's parent called for everyone in the government to be investigated: "The prime minister, the defense minister, the IDF chief of staff, the opposition, the Mossad, Shin Bet, National Security Council," Natalia Casarotti, mother of Keshet, said.” — Natalia Casarotti, mother of Keshet
- “I'm here for the next Carmel, the hostages who haven't been kidnapped yet and the victims who haven't been murdered.” — Gil Dickmann
- “We refuse to fall for this spin or to reduce the discussion of the failure to three hours on the morning of October 7,” — Einav Zangauker
What’s Next
The families have urged the public to read the dossier and press the government for a formal inquiry before the October 27 election. They warn that without accountability, the conditions that enabled the October 7 attack could re-emerge.