JERUSALEM (VINnews)-The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet have for the first time publicly confirmed the existence of a joint military-intelligence unit created to track down and kill everyone involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.

The unit, known as Nili, was described by officers in an interview with Channel 12 News. It marks the first on-record acknowledgment of the specialized effort.

Over nearly three years, Nili has compiled a list of thousands of names using facial recognition technology, artificial intelligence, interrogations of detainees and human intelligence. Much of the information was drawn from video footage the attackers recorded of themselves during the assault. The list includes not only those who crossed into Israel that day but also anyone who held or abused hostages, ranging from low-level participants to senior Hamas commanders.

According to the Channel 12 report, about 2,800 people on Nili’s list have been killed, including the roughly 1,200 who died during the initial attack. Of an estimated 5,000 total participants, more than 2,700 are now confirmed dead. Roughly 300 others have been captured and are awaiting trial before military tribunals, where a death penalty remains possible for convictions involving genocide.

Officials compared the campaign to Mossad’s decades-long pursuit of those responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. One Israeli official said the operation will continue “until the last of [the terrorists is killed].”