The Israeli army commander will step down due to the October 7 attack

The IDF Chief of Staff announced on Tuesday that he would resign in early March, citing in part the failure of the army while under his command to protect people from Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023.

Lieutenant General Herzi Halevy, who took up the position in early 2023, has led the IDF through the 15-month war in Gaza, the ground invasion of Lebanon, air strikes and military operations in Syria, and Iranian ballistic missile attacks.

But the heavy toll of the Hamas attacks — 1,200 dead in Israel and 250 hostages in Gaza — had long fueled expectations in Israel that the country’s security chiefs would eventually resign.

In his resignation letter, General Halevy wrote that he “made the decision to resign a long time ago.” He said that “the time has now come” for him to leave, after the army had rebuilt “Israel’s deterrence and strength” and with a ceasefire and hostage release agreement reached with Hamas in Gaza.

“My responsibility for the fiasco accompanies me every day, every hour, and will for the rest of my life,” he wrote.