'They deceived us': Father of slain IDF observer criticizes IDF over Oct. 7 recordings

The IDF said it had agreed to provide the families of the Nahal Oz observers killed on October 7 with the recordings taken from their last 24 hours on the outpost. 

By WALLA! DECEMBER 24, 2024 11:32

Eyal Eshel, father of slain IDF observer Roni Eshel, at a press conference ahead of a hearing of petitions to the High Court of Justice. December 12, 2024. (photo credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)

"They deceived us," Eyal Eshel, father of IDF observer Roni Eshel, who was killed at the Nahal Oz outpost on October 7, told Radio 103FM on Tuesday with regard to the recordings he and families of other observers killed during the massacre had received from the IDF.

On Monday, the military said it had agreed to provide the families of the Nahal Oz observers killed on October 7 with the recordings taken from their last 24 hours on the outpost. 

"Some parents received them [the recordings]by email, some on a USB flash drive," he said, noting that they were mostly bereft of content. 

"The cover-up and concealment continue in full force," Eshel stated, adding, "We thought that perhaps the IDF had learned something from what happened here, from the disappointment and frustration, but we see that this organization continues to deceive people and, above all, to lie."

He decried the fact that the families were able to receive the recordings, which now proved to be lacking, only after the High Court intervened.   

Sergeant Roni Eshel, the IDF observer who detected initial Hamas movement on October 7, which would later develop into a large-scale attack. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

 "I have nothing from Roni in these recordings, and this contradicts everything we know from the investigation I conducted and from the investigation published yesterday regarding the Nahal Oz base," Eshel stated.

He noted that "The observation soldiers were instructed to scan these areas during the early hours of the night, but there is a blank window from Friday at 6:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. on Saturday. 

"The audio file is a jumble, just a collection of all the recordings from the girls. They didn’t filter it per soldier but instead sent us one very noisy file covering very specific times. They just threw it at us and said, ‘Figure it out on your own.’"

Eshel vows to 'bring truth to light'

He also criticized the disorganized manner in which the recordings were given to the families. We've been disregarded for a long time, but at least honor the girls who are no longer with us," he said. 

"First and foremost, this is about the Chief of Staff of the State of Israel, who did not respect himself and didn’t even respect our request to meet with him. 

---

---

"I want to bring the truth to light. I want every household in Israel to know what happened on the morning of October 7 and what happened in the hours before." Eshel affirmed.