The head of Israeli military intelligence has resigned following the failures that led to the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva was one of several senior commanders who said they failed to predict or prevent the most devastating attack in the country’s history.
He is the first major figure to leave the IDF since the attack.
In his resignation letter, he stated that the intelligence division under his command “was not up to the task entrusted to us.”
Maj. Gen. Haliva, who has served 38 years in the IDF, added: “I have carried that black day with me ever since, day after day, night after night. I will carry the horrible pain of war with me forever.”
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Lower-level intelligence officials reportedly had information that Hamas He was hatching a plan to launch an attack, but Israel did not foresee the group’s surprise attack when militants stormed the Gaza border and laid waste to Israeli communities, military bases and a music festival.
Some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners were killed, mostly civilians, while some 250 were taken hostage in Loop.
Hundreds of Israeli civilians were killed in the October 7 attack. Photo: AP
Hours after the assault, Israel declared war on Hamas – which has already been going on for seven months – with the aim of eradicating the militant group and rescuing the hostages.
Since then, more than 34,000 Palestinians have died, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
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The last 48 hours are ‘horrible even by Gaza standards’
Other IDF chiefs were expected to resign after October 7 as some acknowledged the failures involved, including Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi and head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency Ronen Bar, but both remained as the war continues. .
Of the failures, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said that “everyone will have to give answers,” including himself, but has so far not accepted direct responsibility.
The IDF said its chief of staff had thanked Maj. Gen. Haliva for his service, where he made “significant contributions to the security of the State of Israel as a combat soldier and commander.”
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid welcomed X’s resignation, saying it was “justified and dignified” and added: “It would be appropriate for Prime Minister Netanyahu to do the same.”
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‘We will make our own decisions’
Netanyahu will ‘fight’ IDF sanctions
Meanwhile, the United States is set to impose sanctions against the IDF battalion Netzah Yehuda for alleged human rights violations while operating in the occupied West Bank, the US-based news site Axios reported on Saturday.
The IDF said it was not aware of any such measures, and Netanyahu added: “If anyone believes they can impose sanctions on an IDF unit, I will fight them with all my might.”
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Washington had called for a criminal investigation after soldiers from the battalion were accused of being involved in the death of Palestinian American Omar Assad, who died of a heart attack in 2002 after being detained and later found abandoned at a construction site.
A battalion commander was reprimanded and two officers were dismissed, but Israel did not press criminal charges.
There have been other incidents more recently, some captured on video, in which Netzah Yehuda’s troops were accused or accused of abusing Palestinian detainees.
US President Joe Biden said an announcement could be made “very soon.”