Photo: Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva
Israel's outgoing military intelligence chief has accepted responsibility for the country's failure to defend its borders during the October 7, 2023, attack, Reuters reports.
Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, who served in the military for 38 years, announced his resignation in April, one of several senior Israeli commanders to say they failed to anticipate and prevent the deadliest attack in Israel's history.
"Intelligence failure – “It's my fault,” Khaliwa said at a resignation ceremony on Wednesday. He called for a national inquiry “to examine” and “deeply understand” the reasons that led to the war between Israel and Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
The attack on the country on October 7 has tarnished the reputation of Israel's military and intelligence services, which had been considered virtually invincible to armed Palestinian groups such as Hamas.
On the morning of October 7, after an intense rocket barrage, thousands of Hamas militants broke through the fence around the Gaza Strip, catching Israeli security forces by surprise and unleashing carnage on towns in southern Israel.
According to Israel, the attack killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians. Around 250 people were taken hostage and taken to Gaza. It is believed that 109 hostages are still held in the Palestinian enclave, about a third of whom have died.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Ha-Levi and Shin Bet security chief Ronen Bar have claimed responsibility for allowing the attack to happen, but have remained at their posts as the war in Gaza continues.
Prepared by: Sergei Daga