Israel's High Court Grants Government 2 More Months to Decide Form of October 7 Investigation

On April 27, 2026, Israel's High Court of Justice ruled to grant the Israeli government an additional two months to decide how and when to investigate the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent war, declining to immediately mandate the establishment of a state commission of inquiry. The ruling follows a highly charged April 23 hearing before an expanded panel of seven justices, during which pro-government activists attempted to storm the courtroom before being repelled by police. The court rejected the government's argument that it lacks any authority to review commission-of-inquiry decisions, but expressed concern about whether a judicially ordered commission — imposed at this volatile political moment — would carry the necessary public legitimacy. The government's legal team argued that investigation should wait until the ongoing military situation fully concludes, while petitioners — including bereaved October 7 families and civil society groups — argued that only a state commission with subpoena power can deliver genuine accountability. The court's extension gives the Netanyahu government until late June 2026 to present a concrete plan for how the October 7 failures will be investigated. The decision was criticized by opposition leaders, October 7 survivors, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, who warned that continued delay protects officials from political accountability.