Gaza Genocideupdated 47m ago3 min read
Aharon Haliva Resigns as Israel Military Intelligence Chief Over Hamas-Led October 7 Attacks
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Haliva resigns as head of Military Intelligence citing command responsibility for Hamas's October 7 attacks. First senior Israeli military figure to resign over October 7 attacks.
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Haliva quits after Oct. 7
Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva resigned as head of Israel's Military Intelligence over his “leadership responsibility” for the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, which CNN said led to the killing of 1,200 people and another 250 kidnapped.
Haliva wrote in his publicly released resignation letter that he “will carry the horrible pain of war with me forever,” and BBC said he acknowledged that he “did not live up to the task that had been entrusted to us.”
The BBC said Haliva was the only senior Israeli official to resign over the intelligence failures that allowed Hamas to carry out the deadliest attack in Israel's history on October 7.
The BBC also said Hamas’s assault caught the Israeli army and intelligence agencies by surprise after officials overlooked or ignored multiple warnings before hundreds of armed Hamas men breached the Gaza border fence and attacked Israeli communities, military bases, and a music festival.
The resignation came as Israel continued military operations in Gaza, where BBC said more than 34,000 people have since died, mostly women and children.
Pressure, probes, and protests
Israel’s military intelligence chief resignation intensified street pressure, and BBC said thousands took to the streets again this past Saturday to demand new elections and press the government to make progress in the release of hostages still in Hamas's hands. BBC reported that polls indicate most Israelis blame Netanyahu for the security failures that did not prevent the October 7 attack, and it said about 62% believe it is time for those responsible for the October 7 failure to resign. The Times of Israel said Haliva’s resignation could open the way for additional anticipated resignations among senior security and defense leaders over Hamas’s October 7 onslaught.
The Times of Israel quoted Haliva’s letter to the IDF chief of staff, saying, “along with authority comes heavy responsibility,” and it said Haliva supported the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate “in a thorough, in-depth, comprehensive and precise manner all the factors and circumstances.” The Times of Israel also said Haliva will remain in his post until a replacement is found, and it described internal investigations into the Intelligence Directorate’s actions in different periods, including the 36 hours before the onslaught.
War continues, accountability demanded
The resignation letter tied Haliva’s departure to calls for an inquiry, and BBC said Haliva called for a state commission of inquiry “that can investigate and uncover in a rigorous, thorough, exhaustive, and precise manner all the factors and circumstances.” El País said Haliva submitted his resignation this Monday to the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, and it reported that the Israeli army opened an investigation after the massacre whose conclusions were not expected before June. El País also said the war continues more than six months later and that street pressure multiplies against the political establishment led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who it said has never assumed any responsibility for what happened.
Al Jazeera said Israel’s Occupation Army announced its acceptance of Haliva’s resignation after his failure to uncover the “Storm of al-Aqsa” operation on October 7, and it said opposition leader Yair Lapid called the resignation an honorable act. Al Jazeera added that since October 7 Israel has been waging a retaliatory war on the Gaza Strip that has claimed the lives of more than 111,000 Palestinians, and it said the war continues despite a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire and despite Israel appearing before the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide.