The Israeli military has announced the resignation of Aharon Haliva, the head of its intelligence division, following the failure to prevent the October 7 invasion by Hamas. This invasion resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and sparked the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Haliva, who served the Israeli military for 2 1/2 years, submitted his resignation, making him the first senior Israeli official to step down in response to the Hamas assault. Hamas, an Iran-backed group designated as a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union, carried out the attack that breached Gaza’s heavily fortified border with southern Israel, leading to the overrunning of communities and military bases.
In his resignation letter, Haliva took responsibility for the intelligence division’s failure to prevent the incursion, stating,
“The intelligence division under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with,”
“Until the end of my term, I will do everything to bring about the defeat of Hamas and those seeking to harm us and for the return of all the hostages and captives to their homes and land.”
The aftermath of the October 7 events has seen significant public outcry in Israel, with tens of thousands of protestors calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take responsibility and resign. Netanyahu has not acknowledged personal responsibility for the intelligence and operational lapses, emphasizing that investigations will follow only after the conclusion of the ongoing conflict.
As the conflict continues, more than 130 hostages, some deceased, remain in Gaza. The Hamas-run health authority in Gaza has reported over 34,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict began. The situation remains tense, with efforts ongoing to address the humanitarian and security challenges in the region.