Court names Oct. 7 Gaza Division intelligence chief

The Supreme Court has lifted the gag order on the name of Lt. Col. Aryeh Amidror, who served as intelligence officer of the Gaza Division on October 7, following a legal battle over publication of his identity.

Supreme Court President Yitzchak Amit ruled that the gag order should be removed after weighing several factors: the absence of a security reason to keep the name secret, publications that had already appeared on social media, the public interest in the matter, and the fact that even the officer himself believed his name would likely be published within a few months.

"In the absence of a security reason to prevent publication of the appellant's name; considering the numerous publications on social media; considering the public interest in publishing the name; and considering that even according to the appellant himself it is doubtful whether there will be a reason to prevent publication of his name within a few months, there is no reason to leave the publication ban in place," Amit wrote.

The decision came after a legal fight over whether to reveal the identity of the officer who held the intelligence position in the division responsible for the Gaza border on the day of the Hamas massacre. Amit listed the social media publications, the public interest, and the likelihood that the name would eventually come out as key reasons for his ruling.

Lt. Col. Aryeh Amidror, whose name has now been cleared for publication, is the son of Yaakov Amidror, a reserve IDF major general who previously served as head of the National Security Council and head of the Research Division in Military Intelligence. The elder Amidror also served as military secretary to the defense minister.

Two weeks ago, the IDF announced the release from service commitment of Brigadier General A. and the end of his service. The decision was made by the head of the Manpower Directorate after reviewing the recommendations of the advisory committee and the opinion of the deputy chief of staff.

In November 2025, then-Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi determined that a series of senior commanders bear direct command responsibility for the events of October 7, and that command measures should be taken against them. Brigadier General A., who served as intelligence officer of the Gaza Division, was included on the list, and proceedings were subsequently opened to end his service.

The process was delayed for several months: In March 2026, Lt. Col. A. petitioned the court against the convening of the committee, and the proceedings were temporarily frozen. At the same time, a gag order was issued on details of the affair.