Israel’s military chief resigns over failures 7 October 2023

Israel’s military chief has resigned, saying he accepted responsibility for its failure on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian armed group Hamas launched a deadly attack on the country, triggering the Gaza war.

In a letter to the Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi admitted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “has failed in its mission to protect Israel’s civilians”.

He said, “My responsibility for the terrible failure is with me every day, every hour and will remain so for the rest of my life.”

The general said he would leave his role on March 6 at a time of “significant achievements” for the IDF, although he acknowledged that “all” of Israel’s war goals had not been achieved.

“The military will continue the fight to further destroy Hamas and its regime capabilities, ensure the return of hostages, and enable Israelis displaced by attacks by armed groups to return home,” he said.

Shortly afterward, the head of the IDF’s Southern Command, Major General Yaron Finkelman, announced he was also stepping down, saying he had failed in “his duty to protect the Western Negev and its beloved, heroic inhabitants.” Have been.

Their resignations come three days after they began agreeing a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, which is banned as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and others.

15 months ago Hundreds of Hamas gunmen breached Israel’s Gaza perimeter fence at several locations and ignored or ignored multiple warnings from Israeli military and intelligence officials before attacking nearby Israeli communities, IDF bases and a music festival. Gave. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

The IDF responded by launching an air and ground campaign in Gaza, during which more than 47,100 Palestinians have been killed, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

General Halevi said in a televised address on Tuesday that Hamas’s military wing had been “seriously damaged”, with most of the group’s leadership and military commanders killed along with about 20,000 “activists”.

He also promised that the IDF’s investigation of the events of October 7, which he plans to complete before leaving his role, will be “high quality, thorough and completely transparent”.

However, he warned that the military investigation “focuses only on the IDF and does not take into account broader factors that could prevent similar incidents in the future”.

“A commission of inquiry or any other external body can conduct an investigation and will receive full transparency from the IDF,” he said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked General Halevi “for his many years of service and command of the IDF during the war”, adding that it had “brought great achievements to Israel”.

So far, Netanyahu has only said that he is deeply sorry for what happened on October 7 and that he must answer “some difficult questions” over his role, without accepting any responsibility. He has also said that an independent commission of inquiry should wait until the Gaza war ends.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid praised Halevi’s decision and called on Netanyahu to follow it.

“Now, the time has come for the Prime Minister and his entire disastrous government to take responsibility and resign,” he said.

General Halevi is currently overseeing the IDF’s compliance with the three-phase Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas, under which the remaining Israeli hostages must be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

A total of 33 hostages are to be released during the first phase, expected to last six weeks. Hamas handed over three women on Sunday when the ceasefire took effect, and said it would free another four women on Saturday.

Israeli forces must also withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, displaced Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes, and hundreds of aid lorries must be allowed into the area each day.

Negotiations for the second phase – which should include the release of remaining hostages, the withdrawal of full Israeli forces and the “restoration of lasting peace” – should begin in just two weeks.

The third and final phase should include the reconstruction of Gaza, which could take years, and the return of the bodies of remaining hostages.

However, there is considerable concern among Palestinians in Gaza and the families of hostages about whether the agreement will hold.

New US President Donald Trump, who has taken credit for promoting the ceasefire, said on Monday He did not believe that all three phases would be implemented,

Netanyahu has said he already has US support to return to the fight if Israel “comes to the conclusion that the second round of talks is ineffective”.