Chicago – August 19, 2025
Leaked audio recordings broadcast on Friday have revealed troubling remarks made by Israel’s former chief of military intelligence about the deadly price he believed Palestinians should pay for Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack.
The recordings, aired by Israel’s Channel 12 TV, show former Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva saying that the death toll in Gaza, which had already reached 50,000, was “necessary” for future generations.
He added that for every Israeli killed in the attack, 50 Palestinians should die, no matter if they are children. The audio says it was not out of revenge but to send a message for the future. Haliva used the term “Nakba,” meaning “catastrophe,” to describe the large number of Palestinian deaths, a reference to the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948 when Israel was created.
This is the first time a senior Israeli military figure has openly supported such a high Palestinian death toll during Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza. Though other Israeli politicians have made similar remarks, calling for the destruction of Gaza or referring to Palestinians in dehumanizing terms, Haliva’s statement is the most significant to come from a senior military official.
In a response broadcast by Channel 12, Haliva confirmed that the remarks, which were made in a private discussion, were authentic but expressed regret for his words.
