Following the October 7, 2023 massacre, Israel created a special elite unit called NILI with the clear objective of identifying, locating, capturing, or eliminating all Hamas terrorists who participated in or planned the attacks, from the lowest-ranking fighters to the most important commanders
The name NILI is a Hebrew acronym meaning “The Eternal of Israel does not lie,” a strong message that no victim will be forgotten and no criminal will go unpunished.
The unit was formed a few weeks after the attacks by the Shin Bet (internal security service) in partnership with Mossad (external intelligence service).
This task force compiled a list with thousands of names.
To place someone on this list, at least two types of reliable evidence are required, such as videos recorded by the terrorists themselves, cell phone location data, prisoner interrogations, and facial recognition.
Once participation is confirmed, the person is marked as a target, without trial.
The operation has no geographical limits.
NILI has already operated in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, and elsewhere.
Even low-level terrorists, such as a man who drove a tractor to breach the border fence, were eliminated years later.
Important leaders, such as Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, were also neutralized.
Even with the ceasefire, the unit continues to operate, albeit on a smaller scale.
Its members continue to track targets and pass information to forces that can act.
The objective goes beyond revenge: it serves as a clear warning to future enemies that attacking Israel has a very high price and that no one escapes.
This hunt is one of the most extensive in modern history and reflects Israel’s commitment to seeking justice for the victims of the worst attack suffered by the country in decades.
Published in 05/22/2026 13h04
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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