Israel's military chief resigns over '7 October' failure to prevent Hamas attacks

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi | Photo: Reuters

The chief of the Israeli military Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi has resigned. He announced his resignation on Tuesday. Halevi announced his resignation taking responsibility for the failure to prevent an attack by the Palestinian independence organization Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. 

In a letter explaining his decision, Halevi stated, "I am resigning due to my responsibility for the military's failures on October 7." Despite his acknowledgment of these failures, Halevi noted that the military had achieved "significant successes" under his leadership, though not all objectives in the ongoing conflict had been met.

"The army will continue to fight to destroy Hamas' ability to fight and govern; to recover the hostages, and to ensure the return of Israelis displaced by militant attacks," Halevi emphasized as he concluded his tenure.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid lauded Halevi for his decision to step down and urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to follow suit. "Now is the time for the prime minister and his entire disastrous cabinet to take responsibility and resign," Lapid stated.

In a related development, Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of the Southern Command responsible for operations in Gaza, has also resigned. These resignations come shortly after the conclusion of a 15-month war in Gaza, which ended with a ceasefire agreement last Sunday.

The October 7 attack saw thousands of Palestinian fighters, led by Hamas, cross into southern Israel from Gaza, killing 1,210 people and taking 251 hostages. The events triggered a forceful military response from Israel, with airstrikes and ground operations targeting Gaza. 

As of now, the death toll in Gaza has risen to approximately 46,000, with women and children comprising the majority of the casualties.