Several victims of the October 7 attack and their family members presented on Tuesday the “October 7 File," a document they say compiles information and facts regarding the policies and decisions made in the years preceding the massacre.
The families described the document as a public indictment of the “governments of the conception" and called for examining responsibility for the failures over the course of years, rather than focusing solely on the hours preceding the attack.
The families stated that, in their view, anyone who held a leadership or decision-making position on the day of the massacre and in the years preceding it and bears responsibility for the failures cannot continue to lead the country. They called on the public to examine the document and join their campaign regarding responsibility for the events of October 7.
Shelly Mashal-Yogev, mother of Libi Cohen-Meguri, who was murdered in the massacre at the Nova music festival, argued that the document points to a series of policy decisions spanning 15 years that, she said, enabled Hamas to grow stronger. She directed questions to the Prime Minister regarding the policy of transferring funds to Hamas and the warnings and recommendations received before the attack.
Einav Zangauker, mother of captivity survivor Matan Zangauker, argued that since the massacre there has been an attempt to focus the discussion on the few hours immediately preceding the attack rather than on the policies pursued over many years. According to her, the document is intended to present the public with the decisions, warnings and proposed courses of action that were presented to decision-makers in the years preceding the failures.
Natalia Casarotti, mother of Keshet, who was murdered at the Nova music festival, played her son’s final recording from 7:06 a.m. on the morning of the massacre during the press conference. She focused on the policy of transferring funds to the Gaza Strip and the question of the extent to which those funds contributed to building Hamas’ capabilities, and called for a reckoning over the decisions made throughout the years.
Prof. Effi Shoham, father of Staff Sgt. Yuval Shoham, who fell in battle in Gaza, focused on the security doctrine that preceded the attack and the political leadership’s responsibility for its consequences. He argued that the collapse of the security doctrine on October 7 means that those who led it should not continue serving as Prime Minister or run for the position again.
Noam Perry, daughter of Haim Perry, who was abducted from Nir Oz and murdered in captivity, addressed the handling of efforts to secure the hostages’ return at the beginning of the war. She said that in November and December 2023, she heard from figures involved in mediating the negotiations about a proposal to return civilian hostages during the first days of the war. She claimed that Israel did not respond to the proposal and that her father and other hostages could have returned alive.
Gil Dickmann, cousin of Carmel Gat, who was abducted to Gaza and murdered in captivity, and nephew of Kinneret Gat, who was murdered in the massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri, argued that examination of the failures must not be limited to the events that occurred on the morning of October 7. According to him, the families will work to ensure that responsibility for the policies preceding the massacre is at the center of public debate ahead of the elections.
Merav Svirsky, whose parents Orit and Rafi Svirsky were murdered in the massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri and whose brother Itay Svirsky was abducted and murdered in Hamas captivity, addressed the price her family paid and the state’s conduct during her brother’s captivity. She called for preventing the next failure and argued that those who led the country at the time of the massacre and bear responsibility for the failures cannot continue to govern it.
Lishay Miran Lavi, who was abducted together with her daughters and her husband, Omri Miran, spoke about her years living in the Gaza envelope under repeated rounds of fighting. According to her, the “October 7 File" connects thousands of details into a broader picture intended to explain how Israel reached October 7 and to prevent a similar event from happening again.
Michel Ilouz, father of Guy, who was abducted to Gaza and murdered in captivity, protested the claim that all the hostages had been returned and noted that his son’s body remained in Gaza for two years. He joined the demand for answers regarding the policy of transferring funds to Hamas and the considerations behind it.
Naomi Or Ofek, 16, a relative of Dror and Yonat Or, who were murdered on October 7 at Kibbutz Be’eri, and of captivity survivors Liam, Noam and Alma Or, addressed the responsibility toward the younger generation that will eventually enlist in the IDF. She argued that those responsible for the decisions that led to the failures are not fit to continue making decisions concerning the country’s future and security.