(TJV NEWS) Times of Israel reports that State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman is widening his investigation into the failures surrounding Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre to include Israel’s top political and security leaders.

Englman has requested meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant, former IDF chiefs of staff Herzi Halevi and Aviv Kohavi, as well as senior Shin Bet officials. The probe will now scrutinize cabinet conduct, intelligence breakdowns, and Gaza border defenses—an expansion from earlier stages that avoided direct examination of political figures.

“Everyone is obligated to cooperate with the probe. Attacks by parties seeking to evade scrutiny will not deter us from conducting the State Comptroller’s work in the most professional manner,” Englman’s office said in a statement, noting that “Top Secret” questionnaires have already been sent to officials.

The comptroller’s inquiry—launched in January 2024 but delayed for more than a year due to the war in Gaza and resistance from military leaders—remains the only official state-sanctioned investigation into the Hamas assault, which left around 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. Calls for a full state commission of inquiry have been repeatedly blocked by political leaders, who insist such a review must wait until the war ends.

Although Englman’s probe lacks the binding authority of a state commission, he emphasized that political and military leaders must fully comply, stating: “Our sole obligation is to the citizens of Israel, who deserve answers on the core failure that led to the massacre.”

Critics, including opposition lawmakers and watchdog groups, question whether Englman—appointed under Netanyahu and lacking a legal background—will hold political leadership fully accountable.