REVEALED: How October 7 changed Israel's military rules in just one hour

In the immediate aftermath of Hamas's October 7 massacre - where terrorists killed 1,200 Israeli civilians, including children and the elderly, and kidnapped 240 others - the IDF implemented significant changes to its military protocols.

At 1 p.m. that day, as Israel mounted its response to the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust, military command adjusted its rules of engagement to address an unprecedented terrorist threat.

According to a New York Times investigation, the new protocols authorized mid-level officers to approve strikes that could risk up to 20 civilian casualties, an increase from the previous limit of five. This modification came as Hamas fighters, who had just committed atrocities including the murder of entire families and the burning of civilians alive, retreated to their strongholds within Gaza's civilian areas.

The IDF expanded its target scope to include more junior Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives, with the Air Force primarily utilizing 450kg and 900kg bombs in the opening weeks. Senior military officials explain these changes as a necessary response to both the scale of the October 7 atrocities and concerns about additional fronts opening, particularly along Israel's northern border.

By November 2023, as operations progressed and some hostages were recovered, the IDF adjusted these protocols, reducing the civilian casualty threshold for strikes against junior operatives to 10.

The IDF maintains that its operations comply with international law while facing a terrorist organization that deliberately embeds military infrastructure within civilian areas. Military spokespersons emphasize Hamas's documented strategy of using human shields, including positioning command centers beneath hospitals and storing weapons in schools and mosques.

Maariv contributed to this article.