The Israeli military said on Monday that the chief of its intelligence branch has resigned, taking ownership of the mistakes that led to the catastrophic attack on Israel on October 7th, which was spearheaded by Hamas.
Several senior Israeli commanders, including 38-year veteran Major General Aharon Haliva, stated they had failed to predict and prevent the bloodiest attack in Israel’s history. However, he will hold this position until a replacement is chosen. Commentators and the Israeli media anticipate further resignations when the main military operation in Gaza concludes.
Resigning from his post, Major General Haliva wrote, “The intelligence division under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with. I have carried that black day with me ever since.”
Before the attack on October 7, armed Palestinian organizations like Hamas could not beat Israeli military and intelligence services. The attack severely damaged the reputation of Israeli military.
Thousands of fighters from Hamas and other factions smashed over security barriers surrounding Gaza in the early hours of the morning, stunning Israeli authorities and tearing through neighborhoods in southern Israel. This came after an intense missile fire.
According to Israeli estimates, the strike claimed the lives of some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, most of whom were civilians. Approximately 250 of them were captured in Gaza, where 133 of them are still held as hostages.
In the wake of the attack, both Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi, the chief of the military forces, and Ronen Bar, the head of the domestic intelligence organization Shin Bet, acknowledged culpability but remained in their positions as long as the conflict in Gaza persisted.
