[1] Gal Hirsch was born to Yitzhak and Rachel and grew up in Arad, a member of one of the pioneering families of the city.

[2] Following the death of his cousin, Amnon Hagar, a pilot who died in the Nahal Disaster, Hirsch pursued a military education.

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.

Hirsch faced severe criticism from the Chief of Staff, Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, but also received praise for his courage.

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.

[9] 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.

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.

He led the implementation of the "Appropriate Integration" directive, deciding that men and women would train together for officer courses, separated only in accommodations.

[17][18] The abduction of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, which led to the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, occurred in Hirsch's sector.

[20] Shortly after the war, Chief of Staff Dan Halutz decided to appoint Hirsch as the head of the Strategic Division in the Planning Directorate.

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."

[23] On the other hand, a committee led by Major General Meir Kalifi concluded that Hirsch's orders were issued and communicated as required.

In January 2014, Justice Winograd addressed the Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, expressing remorse and asking to rectify the injustice done to Hirsch.

[28] After concluding his service in 2006, Hirsch founded the company "Defensive Shield Holdings," specializing in projects, integration of knowledge and technology, and providing strategic and security consulting to governments and large corporations.

[32] On August 25, 2015, it was announced that the Minister of Public Security, Gilad Erdan, had decided to recommend Hirsch's appointment as the next Police Commissioner.

[37] In April 2016, it was revealed that Hirsch was interrogated under caution regarding the Rishon LeZion mine clearing tender, on suspicion of integrity violations.