According to the Washington Examiner, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, the head of Israeli military intelligence, has submitted his resignation.
This marks the first senior official to resign following the devastating October 7 Hamas attack, which has been deemed the deadliest in Israel's history.
On October 7, militants from Hamas managed a significant breach of Israel's border defenses, leading to a tragic loss of life and a prolonged conflict. In the attack, 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, were killed, and about 250 were taken hostage in Gaza.
This incident not only penetrated Israel’s defenses but initiated a now seven-month-old conflict with Hamas in Gaza, bringing unprecedented challenges to Israeli security forces.
Maj. Gen. Haliva admitted in his resignation letter that his department failed to meet its responsibilities, with him personally feeling the weight of this failure intensely. "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," he expressed.
Despite these ongoing conflicts and heightened tensions with regional adversaries like Hezbollah in the north and Iran, Haliva's resignation has been a significant blow to Israel’s military prestige and operational confidence.
The aftermath of the attack has also led to intense political repercussions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting calls for accountability and a burgeoning protest movement pushing for elections, though he has not signaled any intention to resign.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has lauded Haliva’s decision as “justified and dignified,” also hinting that Netanyahu should consider a similar course of action. "It would be appropriate for Prime Minister Netanyahu to do the same," Lapid stated.
The attack and subsequent fallout have significantly damaged the Israeli public’s trust in their military, historically viewed as a bulwark against regional threats.
The conflict has inflicted a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with over 34,000 reported deaths, the majority being women and children, as per the local health ministry.
Additionally, the conflict has led to 80% of Gaza’s population relocating within the territory, with warnings of an impending famine adding to the dire situation.
Tensions have spilled over into the Israeli-occupied West Bank and other areas within Israel, complicating the security landscape further. Following an unrelated incident in Jerusalem, Israeli police arrested two men after a car-ramming attack that lightly wounded three people.
The resignation of Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva underscores the intense scrutiny and pressure faced by Israel's security apparatus in the wake of the October 7 attack, suggesting potential further shifts in Israel's security leadership in the near future.
