Israeli intelligence chief quits after Hamas attack

The head of Israel's military intelligence directorate, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, resigned on Monday, marking the first senior figure to step down over the failures surrounding Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 attack. The attack, which saw militants breaching Israel's border defenses, wreaking havoc in Israeli communities, and resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians, also led to roughly 250 hostages being taken into Gaza. This event triggered the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, now in its seventh month.

In his resignation letter, Haliva expressed remorse, stating, “The intelligence directorate under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with. I carry that black day with me ever since, day after day, night after night. I will carry the horrible pain of the war with me forever.”

Haliva, who had publicly acknowledged his responsibility for not preventing the assault, served as the head of the military department responsible for providing intelligence warnings and daily alerts to the government and the military.

The military confirmed that the chief of staff accepted Haliva’s resignation and thanked him for his 38 years of service. However, the timing of resignations from other military and security leaders remains uncertain due to ongoing conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as heightened tensions with Iran.

While some, including Haliva, have accepted blame for the failures leading up to the attack, others, notably Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have not outright acknowledged direct responsibility. Netanyahu has faced growing pressure from a protest movement demanding elections.

The Oct. 7 attack caught Israel off guard, shattering faith in its military. The resignation of Haliva could help restore trust, though tensions remain high, especially in the wake of the devastating war that has claimed thousands of lives in Gaza and sparked a humanitarian crisis.

[Source: AP]