Israel’s military intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, has resigned, taking responsibility for the intelligence failures that led to the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion. In his resignation letter to Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Haliva expressed regret for not living up to the mission of the intelligence division. He acknowledged the black day of the invasion and the pain it has caused. Haliva will remain in his position until a replacement is found and has called for a government inquiry into the failures that allowed Hamas to launch the attack.
The intelligence failures leading up to the invasion included ignoring warnings from army trackers, many of whom were women, stationed on the Gaza border. These trackers had noticed signs of a possible invasion by Hamas but were disregarded by intelligence commanders. The invasion resulted in the death of 1,200 people, the kidnapping of approximately 250, and a war that has claimed the lives of over 33,000 Palestinians and more than 250 Israeli soldiers. Haliva emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to understand the circumstances that led to these tragic events.
Calls for accountability and leadership change have been growing in Israel, with mass protests and demands for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s resignation or replacement through elections. Sen. Chuck Schumer has also called for new elections in Israel, citing the need for a change in leadership. Netanyahu, however, has not taken personal responsibility for the intelligence failures and has resisted calls for elections during the ongoing war. He has promised inquiries once the war is over and has begun to shift blame onto others, including Haliva, whom his supporters claim misled him.