{
  "id": 14919154,
  "title": "Netanyahu declined proposal to strike Hamas terrorists in Gaza weeks before Oct. 7 - report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/netanyahu-declined-proposal-to-strike-hamas-terrorists-in-gaza-weeks",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T09:32:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-911909"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned down a suggestion to launch airstrikes against Hamas terrorists in Gaza just weeks prior to the October 7 massacre, according to N12 News. During a pre-Rosh Hashanah gathering with senior officials on September 13, 2023, Netanyahu inquired about the feasibility of eliminating terrorists, to which then-Shin Bet head Ronen Bar replied that it would be possible to kill them in their offices in Gaza, provided there was a major terror attack. However, Netanyahu countered that it would be more prudent to take a small action instead. A day before N12's report, Bar filed a defamation lawsuit against Netanyahu, demanding NIS 3 million in damages and seeking a correction or denial of false accusations made by the prime minister. The lawsuit, filed just days before the October 27 elections, centers on a September 28 post on Netanyahu's X/Twitter account accusing Bar of \"failures and crimes.\" Bar disputes Netanyahu's claim that he was unaware of intelligence shared by Shin Bet staff, maintaining that the military secretariat was informed before the attack commenced.",
  "summary": "According to N12, Netanyahu asked about the possibility of killing terrorists during a pre-Rosh Hashanah celebration with senior officials on September 13, 2023.",
  "key_points": [
    "Netanyahu rejected airstrikes on Hamas in Gaza before Oct. 7, 2023.",
    "Shin Bet head Ronen Bar said killing terrorists in Gaza offices was possible.",
    "Bar sued Netanyahu for defamation, demanding NIS 3 million."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}