Bereaved Families Demand National Inquiry into October 7 Failures
Bereaved families gathered in Jerusalem on Tuesday to demand a national commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre, while rejecting a Supreme Court-led state inquiry.
Three years after the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, dozens of bereaved families from the Din VeTzedek Forum and the Gibor Forum gathered at the Gevurah tent in Jerusalem on Tuesday to demand the establishment of a national commission of inquiry.
The families, who lost their loved ones during the October 7 massacre and the subsequent war, are calling for a thorough investigation into the events leading up to the war, the intelligence failure, and the conduct of all systems. However, they strongly oppose a traditional state commission of inquiry headed by Supreme Court justices.
Call for a National, Impartial Inquiry
Speaking at the gathering, Itzik Fitoussi, father of the late Yishai and deputy chairman of the Gibor Forum, addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly. He emphasized the profound heroism displayed by soldiers during the war while highlighting systemic failures.
"We call from here, from the Gevurah tent in Jerusalem: for the sake of the living and the fallen, establish a national commission of inquiry to investigate the events. A commission that will investigate impartially all systems—military, security, political, and judicial—with broad tools, required resources, and powers to recommend punishment," Fitoussi stated.
Opposition to Judicial Oversight
Orly Cohen, mother of the late Amit, who was murdered at the Re'im bomb shelter, and a representative of the Din VeTzedek Forum, criticized the potential involvement of the Supreme Court in overseeing the investigation.
"We demand truth and justice for our loved ones. The exposure of the truth is a testament written in the blood of our beloved, and we will not allow it to be whitewashed," Cohen said. The families propose a national commission modeled after the United States 9/11 Commission to ensure broad public trust across all segments of Israeli society.
