Israeli military chief steps down over October 7 Hamas massacre: 'Weighs on me every day'

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) main of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, announced his resignation Tuesday, taking work for the military's failures during the Oct. 7 Hamas violent attacks. 

His departure, acceptable for March 2025, marks the extremity of a decorated four-decade subject vocation and has ignited governmental turmoil, with opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling connected him to measurement down.

"On the greeting of October 7, the IDF nether my bid failed successful its ngo to support Israel’s citizens. This nonaccomplishment weighs connected maine each time and volition bash truthful for the remainder of my life," Halevi wrote successful his resignation letter, addressing the IDF’s nonaccomplishment during the unprecedented battle by Hamas, which near implicit 1,400 Israelis dormant and dozens abducted.

Despite the October 7 tragedy, Halevi highlighted the IDF's achievements nether his leadership, including operations that weakened Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran’s determination influence. "The IDF managed to emergence from a precise challenging starting constituent to behaviour aggravated combat implicit much than a twelvemonth and 3 months crossed 7 theaters of operation," helium stated. "The subject achievements of the IDF person transformed the Middle East."

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Halevi said, "The objectives of the warfare person not yet been afloat achieved. The IDF volition proceed warring to dismantle Hamas’s governing capabilities, unafraid the instrumentality of each hostages, and fortify information conditions to guarantee the harmless instrumentality of residents to their homes." He emphasized that his resignation followed the cease-fire and a caller deal for hostage returns.

Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Halevi for his work successful a connection from his office: "The Prime Minister thanked the Chief of Staff for his galore years of work and enactment during the War of Revival crossed 7 fronts, which brought important achievements to the State of Israel." Defense Minister Israel Katz besides praised Halevi’s contributions, noting, "He volition proceed to fulfill his duties and oversee an orderly modulation process until the extremity of his tenure."

Halevi’s resignation marks the astir important exit from Israel’s information constitution successful the aftermath of the events of Oct. 7. Netanyahu has declined to instrumentality work for those failures, repeatedly stating that accountability volition come only aft the war.

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Opposition leaders utilized Halevi’s resignation to escalate disapproval of Netanyahu. Opposition person Yair Lapid stated, "I salute Lieutenant General Halevi for his integrity. Now it’s clip for the Prime Minister and his disastrous authorities to instrumentality work and resign." Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz echoed this, calling Halevi’s determination ethical and commendable. "The authorities indispensable travel his illustration and found a authorities committee of enquiry to reconstruct nationalist trust," helium added. Avigdor Lieberman besides urged Netanyahu and his furniture to measurement down.

To date, the constitution of a authorities committee of enquiry into the events of Oct. 7 has not been approved by the Israeli government. Knesset subordinate Orit Farkash-Hacohen announced that she volition taxable a measure connected Wednesday to found specified a commission, pursuing the resignation of the IDF main of staff.

Families of Oct. 7 victims demanded accountability from some the subject and government, calling for a authorities inquiry. "We volition not remainder until a committee is established to forestall aboriginal disasters," they said successful a statement.

Halevi’s resignation adds to unit connected Netanyahu, whose authorities faces historically debased support from the public, according to caller sentiment polls. 

Speculation implicit Halevi’s successor has already begun, with starring candidates including Eyal Zamir,, the existent director-general of the Ministry of Defense who antecedently served arsenic lawman main of unit nether erstwhile Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi. Other candidates for the presumption see Northern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Uri Gordin and the existent lawman main of staff, Amir Baram, who reportedly asked Halevi to measurement down respective weeks ago.