The head of Israel’s military intelligence will resign on October 7

The Israeli army’s intelligence chief has resigned, saying he took responsibility for the failures before Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Major General Aharon Haliva would retire once his successor was chosen.

He acknowledged in a letter that his intelligence directorate “did not fulfill the task entrusted to us.”

He is the first senior figure to resign over the attack, the deadliest in Israel’s history.

Israeli military and intelligence officials missed or ignored multiple warnings before hundreds of Hamas gunmen breached Gaza’s border fence that day and attacked nearby Israeli communities, military bases and a music festival.

About 1,200 Israelis and foreigners – mostly civilians – were killed and 253 others were returned to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Israel responded by launching the most intense war ever in Gaza, aiming to destroy Hamas and free the hostages.

More than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza – most of them children and women – have been killed in the conflict, the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry says.

An IDF statement said on Monday that Major General Haliva “had requested to terminate his position, following his leadership responsibility as head of the Intelligence Directorate for the events of October 7.”

In his resignation letter, the general wrote: ‘Since then I have carried that black day with me, day after day, night after night. I will carry the terrible pain of the war with me forever.’

He also called for the establishment of a state investigative commission “that can investigate and discover in a thorough, in-depth, comprehensive and accurate manner all the factors and circumstances that led to the difficult events.”

“Everything I did during my service in the IDF was in the interest of the people of Israel and the State of Israel,” he added.

Major General Haliva’s resignation had been expected, as he had declared ten days after the attack that he bore full responsibility for the failure of his directorate’s intelligence services.

However, his departure is expected to be followed by further resignations of senior Israeli military and intelligence commanders, with other officials admitting mistakes and errors in the run-up to October 7.

IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet Security Director Ronen Bar have both taken responsibility for failing to protect Israelis but decided to stay on for the war in Gaza .

Monday’s news could also increase pressure on veteran Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

So far, Netanyahu has only said he will answer tough questions about his own role, without admitting any responsibility, and has tried to shift the blame to his security chiefs.

He has said a full investigation should wait until the war in Gaza is over.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said on

In a video statement on Sunday, the prime minister complained that the 133 people still held in Gaza would not sit around the Seder table with their loved ones for the Jewish Passover holiday.

“Their suffering and the suffering of their families tears our hearts and only strengthens our resolve to bring them back,” he said.

He claimed that Hamas had “tightened the conditions” for a hostage release deal and threatened to “strike the country with additional painful blows” in response.

“In the coming days we will increase military and diplomatic pressure on Hamas because this is the only way to free our hostages and achieve our victory,” he added.

Mr. Netanyahu did not specify next steps, but he has repeatedly said that Israeli forces plan to launch an operation in the southern city of Rafah.

The US and UN have warned that a full-scale attack on Rafah, where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, could have catastrophic consequences.