A leaked audio recording shows Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, former head of Israeli military intelligence, stating that the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are “necessary and required for future generations.” Haliva made the comments in a conversation with an unidentified person.
The recordings were released by Channel 12 news on Friday. In the audio, Haliva says that Israel’s political leadership and Shin Bet, the internal security service, bear responsibility for the October 7 attacks in southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and kidnapped another 250.
Haliva claims that blaming only the Israeli military is incorrect and that high-level decisions from the enemy’s “political and security leadership” are behind the violence. He also mentions the Nakba, a pivotal event in Palestinian history when hundreds of thousands fled or were expelled from their homes in 1948.
The audio has sparked criticism from world leaders, including New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. They have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of losing the plot.
Hamas also condemned Haliva’s remarks, stating that they confirm high-level decisions against its people are part of official policy from the enemy’s leadership. A UN Special Committee report last year found Israel’s conduct in Gaza consistent with genocide, although Israel denies these claims.
The comments have raised further questions about accountability and the scale of the violence in Gaza, where over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since March.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/18/middleeast/gaza-deaths-necessary-former-israel-intel-chief-leaked-recording-intl