The chief of the General Staff of the Israel Armed Forces has announced his resignation, citing security and intelligence failures that led Israel to face a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The most senior Israeli commander, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, resigned, saying that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) under his command had “failed”. [their] mission to defend the State of Israel” but stressed that they had since made “significant achievements” in the counter-operation.
Israel claims it has killed more than 17,000 militants in the Gaza Strip, although it has provided no evidence, while the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave says more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women. And there were children.
In a letter to Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, Halevi said he would remain in office until the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigation into the October 7 attack is completed, before stepping down on March 6.
“I will hand over command of the IDF to my successor in a high-quality and thorough manner,” he said.
Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of Israel’s Southern Command, which oversees operations in Gaza, also resigned.
mf/jcg (Reuters, AP, dpa, AFP)
