Max Blumenthal tells Tucker Carlson Israel used Hannibal directive on Oct. 7

American journalist Max Blumenthal claimed in an interview with Tucker Carlson that Israel invoked the so-called Hannibal directive on October 7, 2023, killing many of its own citizens to prevent them from being taken captive.

American journalist Max Blumenthal, editor of The Grayzone, claimed in a two-hour interview with Tucker Carlson that Israel activated the so-called Hannibal directive on October 7, 2023, killing a number of its own citizens. A clip from the interview, recorded in mid-September, circulated widely on Sunday.

Blumenthal said the protocol allows the Israeli military to kill its own citizens it believes will be taken captive and become a political bargaining chip, alleging that Israel knowingly killed hostages. The interview also covered his account of being detained by US border officials after reporting from Iran.

The Hannibal directive is a military protocol that permits the use of force to prevent soldiers from being captured. In July 2024, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported, based on documents and testimonies, that the Israeli army invoked the directive at several locations on October 7; the military said at the time that the matter would be examined. Blumenthal’s broader claim that Israel deliberately killed hostages has not been independently established.