Israel’s military intelligence chief Major-General Aharon Haliva resigned on Monday, citing failure to prevent Hamas’s deadly surprise attack last October.
IMAGE: Israeli soldiers operate inside the Gaza strip. Photograph: Israeli Defense Forces/Handout via Reuters
He becomes the first senior official to take responsibility and step down, Al Jazeera reported.
In his resignation letter, Haliva expressed remorse over the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, acknowledging his division’s failure to fulfil its entrusted task.
The letter said that he has “carried that black day” ever since, expressing enduring pain.
“On Saturday, October 7 2023, Hamas committed a deadly surprise attack against the State of Israel. The intelligence division under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with,” he said.
“I carry that black day with me ever since. Day after day, night after night. I will forever carry with me the terrible pain of the war,” he also said.
Haliva’s resignation is significant as he is the first high-ranking official to step down in the aftermath of the attack. The army confirmed his decision, stating it followed his acknowledgement of leadership responsibility, according to Al Jazeera.
While it was expected that Haliva and other officials would resign due to the glaring failures leading to the attack, the timing remained uncertain amid the ongoing conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, alongside heightened tensions with Iran.
While Haliva and others have accepted blame for the October attack, others like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have not fully acknowledged responsibility for the attack, Al Jazeera reported.
