Gal Hirsch (; born 1964) is an Israeli former military commander and author. As Brigadier General, he commanded the 91st Division of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the 2006 Lebanon War. Hirsch coordinated the negotiations for the captives and missing of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Biography Early life Gal Hirsch was born to Yitzhak and Rachel and grew up in Arad, a member of one of the pioneering families of the city. His grandparents on both sides served in the Haganah. He studied at the Military Boarding School near the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv.Quiet and Confident: Gal Hirsch. Following the death of his cousin, Amnon Hagar, a pilot who died in the 1977 helicopter crash that killed 54 soldiers, Hirsch pursued a military education.
Hirsch holds a Bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Bar-Ilan University and a Master's degree in Business Administration from Tel Aviv University.
Military service In 1982, Hirsch enlisted in the IDF and volunteered for the Paratroopers Brigade. He passed the selection for the brigade's special units and was accepted into the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit.Gal Hirsch, A War Story, A Love Story, Yedioth Ahronoth, 2009, p. 24. After completing the Officers Course, he served as a team commander at the IDF Officer Training School before returning to the Paratroopers Brigade, where he served as a team commander in the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit, including during Operation Electric Pipeline.Gal Hirsch, A War Story, A Love Story, Yedioth Ahronoth, 2009, p. 25. He later became a company commander in the 202nd Battalion. In May 1988, as he was about to be appointed commander of the Engineering Company and was already shadowing the outgoing commander, Roni Alsheikh, he participated in Operation Law and Order.Amir Rappaport, "Erased the village, erased Ron Arad", July 19, 2008.
In 1990, he served as the deputy commander of Sayeret Shaldag, under Benny Gantz. Later, he commanded the 202nd Battalion. In April 1993, in this role, he commanded Operation "Dream Girl" to capture Hamas leaders in Nablus.Maya Pollack, "Gal Hirsch on his friend Roni Alsheikh: 'The bond was forged under fire'", April 27, 2016.
In 1993, he was appointed commander of Sayeret Shaldag. In one of the operations he led, he commanded a Shaldag team in a deep mission in Lebanon, which nearly led to his dismissal from the IDF: operating with a small force that infiltrated a Hezbollah base, he refused to retreat despite delays and even turned off his communication device to complete the mission without being ordered to withdraw. The force successfully completed the mission and was extracted from Lebanon undetected. Hirsch faced severe criticism from the Chief of Staff, Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, but also received praise for his courage.Gal Hirsch, A War Story, A Love Story, Yedioth Ahronoth, 2009, pp. 84–106. During his command, Sayeret Shaldag received two Chief of Staff Awards for Excellence, as well as a unit citation for daring in classified operations, including in Operation Grapes of Wrath. Hirsch also wrote the unit's anthem.Yiziky, "Sayeret Shaldag - Israel Air Force’s commando unit celebrates 40 years", October 6, 2016. In 1996, he concluded his command of the unit.
In 1997, he was appointed the operations officer of the Judea and Samaria Division. During this time, the division prepared for potential military confrontation with the Palestinian Authority and its security forces, following the Western Wall Tunnel riots in 1996.Uri Milstein, "How the IDF Prevented Iranian Involvement in the West Bank During the Second Intifada", March 26, 2016. During his service, Hirsch was seriously injured when Palestinians smashed his vehicle with a rock thrown from the Birzeit Bridge, paralyzing the right side of his body. Hirsch underwent a long rehabilitation process lasting about a year, after which he was left with a permanent disability.103FM, "Gal Hirsch: 'A rock is a weapon, just like a sniper rifle or a bomb'", May 12, 2020. After his recovery, he returned to service and was appointed commander of the Binyamin Brigade.
In 1999, he commanded the Binyamin Brigade. During this period, the brigade received two Chief of Staff Awards. As the commander of the Binyamin Brigade, he decided, following the events of the Second Intifada, to close Highway 443 to Palestinian traffic, designating it as a critical-secured route to Jerusalem.Ofer Shelah and Raviv Drucker, Boomerang, Keter Publishing, 2005, pp. 30–31. His decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Israel in December 2009.High Court 2150/07 Ali Hussein Mahmoud Abu Safiya et al. v. Defense Minister, 63(3) 331 (2009). In 2001, he was appointed operations officer of the Central Command. In this role, he was involved in the planning and was one of the architects of Operation Defensive Shield.Amir Oren, "The Red Berets Return to the Top of the IDF", Haaretz, May 2, 2014.David Asaf, "Song is Not Just Words - Chapters of a Journey in Hebrew Song", Am Oved, 2019. He was also involved in planning the Israeli West Bank barrier as part of "Operation Another Way."
In 2003, he was appointed commander of Bahad 1. During this period, all officer training courses, except for naval and pilot training, were moved to Bahad 1. He led the implementation of the "Appropriate Integration" directive, deciding that men and women would train together for officer courses, separated only in accommodations. As part of this decision, he led the closure of Bahad 12 as the base for female officer training. During this time, the school received two Chief of Staff Awards.
In April 2005, he was appointed commander of the Galilee Division and promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.Israel Defense, "IDF Chief of Staff to Gal Hirsch: 'The North Owes You Nine Years of Peace'", April 7, 2017.
Second Lebanon War Before the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, he acted against the Hezbollah threat of soldier abductions.Winograd Commission, Chapter 8, p. 285. During his command of the Galilee Division, the division successfully thwarted four abduction attempts, including the Ghajar Abduction Attempt (2005).Gal Perl Finkel, "Playing with Time: Escalation in the North Could Happen at Any Moment", September 7, 2020.Hanan Greenberg, "The Corporal Who Eliminated 4 Terrorists: 'Maybe It Was a Miracle'", Ynet, November 22, 2005.
The abduction of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, which led to the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, occurred in Hirsch's sector.Amir Rappaport, "The Night the Knives Were Drawn", October 16, 2007. During the war, criticism grew against Hirsch following a report aired on Channel 10, featuring the commander of 7th Brigade Amnon Eshel, who served under Hirsch's command and criticized him. Hirsch was also criticized for stating that IDF forces controlled Bint Jbeil before the Battle of Bint Jbeil, where eight Golani Brigade soldiers were killed.Amos Harel, "Gal Hirsch's Version of the Second Lebanon War", Haaretz, July 15, 2009.
Shortly after the war, Chief of Staff Dan Halutz decided to appoint Hirsch as the head of the Strategic Division in the Planning Directorate. However, before the release of the Almog Commission report, headed by retired Major General Doron Almog, Hirsch decided to resign in December 2006.Nana10, "Brigadier General Hirsch: I Was Smeared All the Way", November 12, 2006. Almog recommended Hirsch's dismissal due to the abduction incident, criticizing him for not preparing adequately for the possibility of abduction.Haaretz, Amir Oren, "Chief of Staff for a Day", November 17, 2006.
The main conclusion of the Almog Commission was that the abduction of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev could have been prevented. According to Hirsch, these findings were not accepted by a team of generals led by the Chief of Staff, who conducted a hearing and stated that the report "did not adequately reflect the difficult constraints present in the sector." According to him, the summary document of the hearing remains classified.Gal Hirsch, "A War Story, A Love Story", Yedioth Books, 2009. On the other hand, a committee led by Major General Meir Kalifi concluded that Hirsch's orders were issued and communicated as required. Over the years, several officials supported Hirsch's defense, including the Chairman of the Winograd Commission, Eliyahu Winograd,Eliyahu Winograd’s Letter to Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, January 26, 2014. retired Supreme Court Justice Mishael Cheshin,Mishael Cheshin, "Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch – Who Will Fix the Wrong?", Movement for Quality Government, April 30, 2015. and the Movement for Quality Government in Israel. In January 2014, Justice Winograd addressed the Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, expressing remorse and asking to rectify the injustice done to Hirsch.Amir Rappaport, "Nine Years Since the Second Lebanon War: Gal Hirsch Closes the Circle", Israel Defense, July 19, 2015.
Return to active duty In February 2012, Hirsch was called back to the IDF,Yoav Zitun, "Six Years after Lebanon: Gal Hirsch Returns as Deputy Commander", Ynet, February 9, 2012. and was appointed as a deputy commander in the newly established IDF Depth Command created by Gantz. Hirsch completed his duties in August 2015.
Among his reserve duties, Hirsch also lectures in command courses within the IDF.Hanan Greenberg, "Battalion Commanders from the Lebanon War Are Upgrading", Ynet, April 18, 2011.
Business activities After concluding his service in 2006, Hirsch founded Defensive Shield Holdings, a company specializing in projects, integration of knowledge and technology, and providing strategic and security consulting to governments and large corporations. The company provided services to the Georgian Army before the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, as well as to the intelligence service of Kazakhstan.Joshua Brainer, "Defense Contracts and Businesses: Hirsch's Company’s Work with Kazakhstan", Walla, August 27, 2015.
In 2013, Defensive Shield Holdings filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Teva, demanding a brokerage fee of 19 million shekels for Hirsch's involvement in Teva's acquisition of Cephalon.Shiri Habib-Valdhorn and Ron Steinblatt, "Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch Demands 19 Million NIS Brokerage Fee from Teva", Globes, December 29, 2013. Two years later, Defensive Shield Holdings withdrew the lawsuit.Zohar Shahar Levy, "Gal Hirsch Withdraws His Million-Shekel Lawsuit against Teva", Calcalist, November 25, 2015.
From 2020 to May 2023, Hirsch served as the president of the live feed company NEWSRAEL.Walla, "Israeli Businesses Benefiting from the Corona Pandemic!", September 22, 2020.
Police Commissioner nomination and investigations