Editing Israel Defense Forces (section)

===Hannibal Directive===
{{main|Hannibal Directive}}
The Hannibal Directive is a controversial procedure that the IDF has used to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers by enemy forces. It was introduced in 1986, after some abductions of IDF soldiers in Lebanon and the subsequent controversial prisoner exchanges. The full text of the directive has never been published and until 2003 [[Censorship in Israel|Israeli military censorship]] even forbade any discussion of the subject in the press. The directive has been changed several times. At one time the formulation was that "the kidnapping must be stopped by all means, even at the price of striking and harming our own forces."<ref name=Weiz>{{cite book|title=Forensic Architecture, VIOLENCE AT THE THRESHOLD OF DETECTABILITY |year=2017 |url= |author=Weizman, Eyal |isbn=9781935408864 |publisher=Zone Books |location=New York}}, page 176.</ref>

The Hannibal directive has, at times,  apparently existed in two different versions, one top-secret written version, accessible only to the upper echelon of the IDF, and one "oral law" version for division commanders and lower levels. In the latter versions, "by all means" was often interpreted literally, as in "an IDF soldier was better dead than abducted". In 2011, IDF Chief of Staff [[Benny Gantz]] stated the directive does not permit the killing of IDF soldiers.<ref>{{cite news|title=Haaretz, Chief of Staff to Military Commanders: Hannibal Directive Does Not Permit Killing of Soldiers to Prevent Abduction|year=2011|author=Amos Harel|url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politics/2011-11-01/ty-article/0000017f-ed21-d0f7-a9ff-efe591e30000|access-date=13 October 2023|archive-date=22 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222151328/https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politics/2011-11-01/ty-article/0000017f-ed21-d0f7-a9ff-efe591e30000|url-status=live}}</ref>