Two months ago Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned cabinet members about the change in legal directives, making it difficult to eliminate all terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre who are not affiliated to any terrorist organization. Two months ago Smotrich wrote to the ministers, saying that, "From information I recently received, it appears that, contrary to the instructions to open fire that were in practice at the beginning of the war, which allowed the elimination of those who were found to merely have participated in the October 7 massacre, it is now not possible to eliminate terrorists without proving that they have future terrorist intentions.” He noted that, "there is apparently some legal reasoning for this, which seeks to adhere to the definition of ‘incrimination and not punishment'. The result is that if due to an overload on the intelligence system, it is not possible to write an incriminating document regarding future intentions, the security forces cannot eliminate a terrorist." Smotrich added that, "This fact is added to the closing of the Nili war room that was established by the Shin Bet to deal with the October 7 terrorists. In my opinion, this is an operational and legal error. Those who participated in the invasion, massacre and kidnappings establish a presumption of danger for terrorism, and they can be eliminated. This was the rationale at the beginning of the war and I see no reason to deviate from it." "Furthermore," Smotrich raised the absurdity before the cabinet members, "The above information seems to imply that only Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have been incriminated, allowing the elimination of terrorist operatives associated with them. Seventeen other terrorist organizations in Gaza have not been incriminated and their operatives cannot be eliminated, even if they are armed, without positive knowledge of their future intention to commit terror. This is absurd." Related articles: I recommended an opening blow, they told me Hamas was deterred 11 terrorists who murdered and kidnapped on Oct. 7 eliminated Staff Sergeant Guy Simhi saved 11 Supernova festivalgoers 10-man security squad saved town from attack by 80 terrorists The letter was published by political commentator Amit Segal on Tuesday night after he revealed on Channel 12 News that the military attorney's office ordered not to eliminate Gazan citizens who participated in the October 7 massacre, because they have not been defined as Hamas terrorists. According to the report, the military attorney's interpretation of the laws of war claims that only those who belong to a fighting force can be purposely eliminated during a war. Targeted elimination is a preventive measure, not a punishment, and therefore, since the "civilian" is not part of the fighting force, he cannot be eliminated in revenge. "This order was given despite the fact that after the October 7 massacre the government promised that Israel would deal with each and every one who was involved in the massacre. Even so, if the Shin Bet and the IDF learn of the location of Gazans who murdered, looted, raped or kidnapped Israelis, they will not have the legal authorization to eliminate them,” Segal noted. According to him, "The terrorist organization which kidnapped the Bibas family has not been defined as an organization that is in a state of war with Israel. Therefore, if intelligence information finds the whereabouts of the Bibas’ family kidnappers, they will not be permitted to eliminate them, based on this ruling." Several sources in the IDF even claimed that such cases have already occurred on the ground, but the army officially denies this.