Israeli military intelligence chief resigns over his role in failing to prevent October 7 Hamas attack
- Major General Aharon Haliva says in his resignation letter ‘I will carry the pain with me forever’
- Resignation could set stage for more of Israel’s top brass to accept blame for October 7 failings
The head of Israel’s military intelligence directorate resigned on Monday over the failures surrounding Hamas’ unprecedented October 7 attack, the military said, becoming the first senior figure to step down over his role in the deadliest assault in Israel’s history.
Major General Aharon Haliva’s resignation sets the stage for what’s expected to be more fallout from Israel’s top security brass over Hamas’ attack, when militants blasted through Israel’s border defences, rampaged through Israeli communities unchallenged for hours and killed 1,200 people, most civilians, while taking roughly 250 hostages into Gaza.
That attack set off the war against Hamas in Gaza, now in its seventh month.
“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 pain with me forever,” Haliva wrote in his resignation letter, which was provided by the military.
Shortly after the war, Haliva had publicly said that he shouldered blame for not preventing the assault as the head of the military department responsible for providing the government and the military with intelligence warnings and daily alerts.