Palestinians must experience Nakba from time to time: Ex-Aman chief
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Hamas denounced leaked recordings of former Israeli intelligence chief Aharon Haliva, in which he advocated mass Palestinian killings and repeated "Nakba."
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Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army airstrike in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025 (AP Photo/Mariam Dagga)
Israeli Channel 12 aired leaked audio recordings of former Israeli intelligence chief Aharon Haliva on Friday. In the recordings, Haliva is heard saying that Palestinians "need a Nakba every now and then," a reference to the 1948 mass displacement.
He declared: "I said before the war that for every person killed on October 7, fifty Palestinians must die. It doesn't matter if they are children. I am not speaking from a perspective of revenge, but from a perspective of sending a message to future generations." He added: "There is nothing else to be done, they need, from time to time, a Nakba to feel the price."
In addition to these genocidal remarks, Haliva acknowledged his responsibility for the failure of October 7, stating: "We failed on October 7. We should have provided protection for our citizens, but we did not. This tragic national disaster has many partners in responsibility. Leaders must step down to make room for a new beginning."
Hamas on Saturday evening strongly condemned the remarks of former Israeli intelligence chief Aharon Haliva, leaked through Israeli media. The movement said Haliva's statements clearly revealed that the extermination of fifty thousand Palestinians was a deliberate objective, and that the killing of fifty Palestinians for every Israeli is an adopted and systematic policy.
In its statement, Hamas stressed that these official admissions constitute clear evidence of the genocidal doctrine guiding the behavior of the Israeli occupation, affirming that the crimes committed against the Palestinian people are high-level decisions and official policy issued by the political and security leadership. The movement called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities in holding accountable those responsible for these crimes, categorizing them as war crimes and full-scale genocide.
Hamas further urged the United Nations, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to document the leaked remarks and activate prosecution orders against occupation leaders who openly boast of crimes against innocent civilians. The group also appealed to world governments to cooperate with international judicial bodies by handing over those accused of war crimes.
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The revelations come at a sensitive time, as the ICJ genocide case brought by South Africa against "Israel" already considers official statements by Israeli leaders as potential evidence of genocidal intent. Analysts suggest Haliva's leaked words could be used in future legal proceedings, strengthening arguments that "Israel's" policies in Gaza go beyond military necessity and reflect a systematic strategy of collective punishment and extermination.
