Israeli army chief resigns over “terrible” failures in the October 7 attack | News of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The Israeli army chief of staff resigned, due to “terrible” security and intelligence failures linked to the bloody Hamas-led October 7, 2023 operation. attacks On southern Israel.

Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevy is the most senior Israeli official to resign due to the security collapse, when thousands of Hamas-led fighters stormed from Gaza and attacked military bases, kibbutzim and a music festival in southern Israel.

The attack led to the deaths of at least 1,139 people, most of them civilians, according to Al Jazeera’s statistics based on Israeli statistics, and another 250 people were captured. More than 90 hostages are still being held by Palestinian groups in Gaza, about a third of whom Israel believes are dead.

Halevy oversaw Israel’s response to the attack, a devastating assault on the besieged Palestinian territories that killed more than 47,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The ferocious military campaign has destroyed much of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, while Israel’s strict restrictions on humanitarian supplies to the Strip have led to warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe.

In his resignation letter, Halevy said that the army, under his command, “failed in its mission to defend the State of Israel” when Hamas attacked, but achieved “important achievements” in the war that followed.

“My responsibility for the colossal failure accompanies me every day, hour by hour, and will remain so throughout my life,” Halevy wrote in his resignation letter to Defense Minister Israel Katz.

He said he was leaving at a time of “significant successes” for the army, although he also said that “not all” of Israel’s war goals have been achieved.

He added: “Not all of the war’s goals were achieved. He added that the army will continue to fight to further dismantle Hamas and its governance capabilities, ensure the return of hostages, and enable Israelis displaced by militant attacks to return to their homes.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid praised Halevy’s step down and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to follow suit.

“Now, it is time for them to take responsibility and resign – the prime minister and his entire disastrous government,” Lapid said.

Shortly after Halevy announced his resignation, Major General Yaron Finkelman – the head of Israel’s Southern Command, which oversees operations in Gaza – also resigned.

The generals’ resignation may add to calls for a public inquiry into the October 7 failures, something Netanyahu – whose leadership may be implicated – has said he will wait until the war is over.

Criticisms of the extreme right

Katz thanked Halevy for his contributions to the army and expressed his gratitude that he will continue to carry out his duties until a successor is appointed, while there will be an organized search for his replacement. Netanyahu also accepted Halevy’s resignation.

Halevy has often been criticized by far-right figures in Netanyahu’s government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Halevy’s resignation comes three days after a long-awaited resignation Ceasefire agreement The agreement went into effect, halting the 15-month war in Gaza and exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

The first phase of the multi-stage agreement is expected to last for six weeks and will see the release of 33 hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Three hostages and 90 prisoners were released on Sunday.

Smotrich on Tuesday praised Halevy for the army’s success in destroying Hamas’ military capabilities during the war, but he also placed the blame for the October 7 attack squarely on his shoulders.

He added: “My criticism of his failure in the campaign to eliminate Hamas’ civilian and governmental capabilities, as well as his responsibility for the failure of October 7, do not diminish the great gratitude we owe him for all his work and contributions over the years and his achievements.” said Smotrich, who opposed the ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

He added, “The coming period will be marked by the replacement of the senior military leadership as part of preparations for renewed war, this time in the West Bank until complete victory.”