Israel military intelligence head resigns over 7 October attack failures

The head of Israeli military intelligence, who last year accepted responsibility for the failures that allowed the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October, has resigned, the military said in a statement on Monday.

Major General Aharon Haliva was one of a number of senior Israeli commanders who said they had failed to foresee and prevent the most devastating attack in Israel's history.

"The intelligence division under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with. I have carried that black day with me ever since," he said in a resignation letter released by the military.

Hamas fighters and others surprised Israeli forces by breaking through the high-security barriers around Gaza during the 7 October attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people and the capture of dozens, according to Israeli official figures.

Israel estimates that 129 captives remain in Gaza, including 34 who the military says are dead.

Israel's indiscriminate war on Gaza has so far killed at least 34,151 and injured 77,084 people - most of the victims being women and children.

The 7 October attack badly tarnished the reputation of the Israeli military and intelligence services, previously seen as "unbeatable".

The head of the armed forces, Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi, and the head of the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, both accepted responsibility in the aftermath of the attack but have stayed on while the war on Gaza has continued.

By contrast, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far not accepted responsibility, although surveys indicate that most Israelis blame him for failing to do enough to prevent or defend against the attack.

(Reuters, AFP)