Tanks, armored vehicles and military equipment belonging to the Israeli army on April 17, 2024.
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The Israel Defense Forces intelligence chief has resigned, citing failures linked to the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, in which 1,200 people died in Israel and more than 200 were taken hostage.
“On Saturday, October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a deadly surprise attack against the State of Israel, the consequences of which were serious and painful. The intelligence division under my command was not up to the task which assigned to him,” said Major General Aharon. » Haliva said in a resignation letter provided by the IDF.
“At the start of the war, I expressed to you my desire to accept my responsibilities and complete my duties,” he added. “After more than six months, and even as the investigations begin, I wish to resign from my position.”
Haliva had previously taken responsibility for the failure to prevent the devastating attack, amid growing internal criticism and demands for accountability from Israel’s highest echelons. He is the first senior official to resign following the incident.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far not directly admitted responsibility for the attack, despite poll results indicating that the majority of Israelis think he should admit guilt, according to Reuters and the Times of Israel.
This breaking news story is currently being updated.
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