Israel's military chief resigns over 7 October 2023 failures

Israel's subject main has resigned, saying helium recognised his work for its nonaccomplishment connected 7 October 2023, erstwhile the Palestinian equipped radical Hamas carried retired a deadly onslaught connected the state that triggered the Gaza war.

In a missive to the defence minister, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi admitted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had "failed successful its ngo to support the citizens of Israel".

"My work for the unspeakable nonaccomplishment accompanies maine each day, each hour, and volition beryllium truthful for the remainder of my life," helium added.

The wide said helium would permission his relation connected 6 March astatine a clip of "significant achievements" for the IDF, though helium acknowledged that "not all" of Israel's warfare goals had been achieved.

"The subject volition proceed to combat to further dismantle Hamas and its governing capabilities, guarantee the instrumentality of the hostages" and alteration Israelis displaced by attacks by equipped groups to instrumentality home, helium added.

Shortly afterwards, the main of the IDF's Southern Command, Maj Gen Yaron Finkelman, besides announced helium was besides stepping down, saying helium had had failed successful his "duty to support the Western Negev and its beloved, heroic residents".

Their resignations travel 3 days aft the commencement of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage merchandise woody agreed with Hamas, which is proscribed arsenic a violent organisation by Israel, the US and others.

Israeli subject and quality officials missed oregon ignored galore warnings earlier hundreds of Hamas gunmen breached Israel's Gaza perimeter obstruction astatine aggregate locations 15 months agone and attacked adjacent Israeli communities, IDF bases and a euphony festival. About 1,200 radical were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

The IDF responded by launching an aerial and crushed run successful Gaza, during which much than 47,100 Palestinians person been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run wellness ministry.

Gen Halevi said successful a televised code connected Tuesday that Hamas's subject helping had been "severely damaged", with astir of the group's enactment and subject commanders person been killed on with astir 20,000 "operatives".

He besides promised that the IDF's enquiry into the events of 7 October, which helium plans to implicit earlier leaving his role, would beryllium "high quality, thorough, and afloat transparent".

However, helium warned that the subject enquiry "is focused solely connected the IDF and does not encompass the broader factors that could forestall akin events successful the future".

"A committee of enquiry oregon immoderate different outer assemblage tin analyse and analyse and volition person afloat transparency from the IDF," helium said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Gen Halevi "for his galore years of work and for commanding the IDF" during the war, saying it had "led to large achievements for Israel".

Up to now, Netanyahu has said lone that helium is profoundly atrocious astir what happened connected 7 October and that helium volition person to reply "some pugnacious questions" implicit his role, without acknowledging immoderate responsibility. He has besides said an autarkic committee of enquiry should hold until the extremity of the Gaza war.

Opposition person Yair Lapid praised Halevi's determination and called connected Netanyahu to travel suit.

"Now, it is clip for them to instrumentality work and resign - the premier curate and his full catastrophic government," helium said.

Gen Halevi is presently overseeing the IDF's compliance with a three-phase Gaza ceasefire woody with Hamas that should spot the remaining Israeli hostages released successful speech for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners successful Israeli jails.

In total, 33 hostages should beryllium released during the archetypal signifier lasting six weeks. Hamas handed implicit 3 women connected Sunday, erstwhile the ceasefire took effect, and has said it volition escaped different 4 women connected Saturday.

Israeli forces should besides retreat from densely populated areas of Gaza, displaced Palestinians should beryllium allowed to statesman returning to their homes, and hundreds of assistance lorries should beryllium allowed into the territory each day.

Negotiations for the 2nd signifier - which should spot the remaining hostages released, a afloat Israeli unit withdrawal and "the restoration of sustainable calm" - should commencement successful conscionable implicit 2 weeks.

The 3rd and last signifier should impact the reconstruction of Gaza, which could instrumentality years, and the instrumentality of immoderate remaining hostages' bodies.

However, determination is precocious anxiousness among Palestinians successful Gaza and the hostages' families astir whether the woody volition hold.

New US President Donald Trump, who has taken recognition for brokering the ceasefire, said connected Monday that he was not assured that each 3 phases would beryllium implemented.

Netanyahu has said Israel already has US backing to instrumentality to the warring if it "reaches the decision that the 2nd signifier negotiations are ineffectual".