The head of the Israeli military’s intelligence directorate resigned on Monday, the military said, accepting responsibility for the mistakes that led to Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Major General Aharon Haliva is the first senior official to resign for not being able to stop the attack that startled Israel and the world.
The military said in a statement, “Major General Aharon Haliva, in coordination with the chief of the general staff, has requested to end his position, following his leadership responsibility as the head of the intelligence directorate for the events of October 7.”
“It was decided that MG Aharon Haliva will end his position and retire from the IDF (army), once his successor is appointed in an orderly and professional process,” the statement reads.
Haliva accepted responsibility for his role in not stopping the attack in his resignation letter. “On Saturday, October 7th 2023, Hamas committed a deadly surprise attack against the state of Israel.”
In a copy of the letter the military provided to journalists, Haliva wrote: “The intelligence division 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 forever carry with me the terrible pain of the war.”
The attack killed 1,170 people, primarily civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures. Since then, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and has launched a fierce offensive against the terrorist organization that controls the Gaza Strip.
At least 34,097 people have died as a result of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to the health ministry for the Palestinian territory, the majority of whom were women and children.
