The IDF on Tuesday rejected claims made in a book called "The Boss", written by Ido Norden who served in the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, alleging that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi thwarted an attempt to free hostages at the start of the war. The book claims that a group of hostages that Hamas took captive was held in the first week of the war in the Shifa Hospital complex, and that the IDF planned a large operation to rescue them, which the Chief of Staff decided not to carry out. "These are false and baseless claims. This was an operational idea that had no operational or intelligence feasibility for implementation, since there was no information about the presence of hostages in the hospital. If there had been such information, then the plan would have progressed towards implementation. The operation as presented would have resulted in the killing of hostages and in harm to the security of our forces," said the IDF Spokesperson. Related articles: 'I must give credit to Hamas for tricking us' Former Chief of Staff blocked 7/10 investigation Former Chief of Staff hid info from Security Cabinet Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visits Western Wall Brigadier General Daniel Hagari stressed that "the Chief of Staff instructed the forces to continue with the plan for a raid from the sea on the Shifa Hospital in case intelligence arrived that would enable the implementation of the plan, which did not happen." "The claims that the Chief of Staff hid an operation to release hostages from the political echelon are false and devoid of any foundation," he concluded.
