Israel Built A Hamas Kill List After Oct 7. Then, It Launched A High-Tech Mission To Finish Them

Last Updated:May 21, 2026, 09:37 IST

The campaign relies heavily on surveillance technology, intercepted communications and digital evidence left behind by the attackers themselves

In the months after the October 7 Hamas attacks, Israel launched one of the most sweeping manhunts in its history—a covert, technology-driven campaign to identify, track, kill or capture every person involved in the assault that left around 1,200 people dead and some 250 taken hostage.

According to a detailed report by The Wall Street Journal, Israeli intelligence agencies created a special task force known as “NILI"—a Hebrew acronym meaning “The Eternal One of Israel Doesn’t Lie"—dedicated solely to hunting down everyone connected to the attack, from top Hamas planners to low-level militants who crossed the border on October 7.

Israeli officials quoted in the report said the operation has already eliminated hundreds of suspects and continues even amid ceasefire negotiations and broader regional tensions involving Iran.

How Israel Is Identifying The Attackers

The campaign relies heavily on surveillance technology, intercepted communications and digital evidence left behind by the attackers themselves.

The WSJ report says Israeli intelligence officers are analysing videos shot by militants on phones and GoPros, social media uploads, intercepted calls, cellphone tower data, and interrogations of detainees.

Officials told WSJ that facial-recognition systems are being used to identify suspects from footage recorded during the attacks. Israel reportedly requires at least two pieces of evidence before marking someone for targeting.

The scale is vast. According to the report, “no participant is deemed too insignificant," including a man accused of driving a tractor through the Gaza border fence on October 7. Nearly two years later, Israel allegedly tracked and killed him in an airstrike in Gaza.

From Gaza To Beirut And Tehran

The campaign has not been limited to Gaza. The WSJ report says Israel’s operations have stretched into Lebanon and Iran, targeting senior Hamas figures accused of planning or directing the attacks.

Among the most notable killings cited are Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut in January 2024, Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran months later, and Ezzedin al-Haddad, one of Hamas’s last senior military commanders linked to October 7.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said Israel was “close to completing" the elimination of those responsible for the attacks and ensuring Gaza would “never again pose a threat" to Israel, according to Le Monde.

Why October 7 Changed Israeli Strategy

The October 7 attacks deeply shocked Israel’s security establishment. Hamas militants breached Israel’s border, attacked military bases and kibbutzim, and assaulted the Nova music festival.

One of the most widely circulated videos from that day showed hostage Noa Argamani being dragged away on a motorcycle while screaming for help. After her rescue months later, Israeli intelligence reportedly tracked down and killed two men seen in the footage restraining her boyfriend.

The emotional and political impact of the attacks hardened public opinion inside Israel and strengthened support for aggressive retaliation.

A recent UN-backed report cited by CNN also found evidence of conflict-related sexual violence during the October 7 attacks, adding to the trauma and anger inside Israel.

Echoes Of Munich

The operation has frequently been compared to Israel’s decades-long pursuit of the militants behind the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre.

WSJ notes that Israeli officials themselves see parallels between the two campaigns. After Munich, Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency spent years assassinating individuals tied to the killing of 11 Israeli athletes.

Mossad chief David Barnea reportedly referenced that history in 2024, saying: “It will take time, just as it did after Munich. But our hands will reach them, wherever they are."

Role Of AI And Surveillance

The campaign also reflects how modern warfare is increasingly driven by data fusion and AI-assisted intelligence analysis.

Israel’s military and intelligence apparatus have long been considered among the world’s most technologically advanced. According to WSJ, investigators combine facial recognition, geolocation analysis, phone metadata, behavioural tracking, and real-time surveillance feeds to locate suspects.

Former Shin Bet officials quoted in the report described the process as painstaking, requiring operatives to identify a target’s precise location “at the exact second".

Legal And Ethical Questions

The campaign has also intensified debate over targeted killings and international law.

Legal experts quoted by the WSJ said combatants can lawfully be targeted during wartime, even under ceasefire conditions. But questions become more complicated when suspects may no longer be actively participating in hostilities.

Critics argue the operation amounts to extrajudicial assassination and risks civilian deaths. Hamas officials told the newspaper the campaign was simply an extension of Israel’s long-running policy of targeted killings.

Others warn that such operations may fuel further radicalisation rather than deterrence. Analysts quoted in the report said Hamas recruitment may actually have risen during the war because many Palestinians see armed resistance as their only option amid the destruction in Gaza.

But for many Israelis, the hunt is not only about security but also psychological closure.

The WSJ reported that Israeli intelligence even prioritised some targets because eliminating them could provide grieving families what officials internally described as “treatment for the soul".

News explainers Israel Built A Hamas Kill List After Oct 7. Then, It Launched A High-Tech Mission To Finish Them

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