General Aharon Haliva, head of Intelligence of the Israeli Army, announced this Monday, April 22, that he is resigning from his position due to security failures that allowed the surprise attack by Hamas, on October 7, the largest aggression within the territory of Israel, since it was established as a State. The military institution published a statement with his resignation letter, announcing that he, however, will remain in office until a successor is appointed. Meanwhile, the troops of the Jewish-majority State continue attacks in the Gaza Strip, where in the last few hours the death toll increased to 34,151.
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He is the first senior Israeli commander to leave his post after the October 7 attacks: Aharon Haliva acknowledged in his resignation letter that the Intelligence division under his command “was not up to the task that was entrusted to it.” ”.
The general had already accepted his share of responsibility for the bloody Hamas attack – which more than six months ago triggered the ongoing escalation of the war in Gaza – by failing to foresee or prevent the Islamist movement's incursion into Israeli territory.
I've carried that black day with me ever since
In a statement, published this April 22, the Israeli Army announced that Haliva's decision to leave office was taken “with the chief of the General Staff and with the approval of the Minister of Defense”, so the soldier will finalize his resignation. “once his successor is appointed.”
October 7, 2023 marked the largest attack in Israel's history. Hamas militants bypassed high-tech barriers around the Gaza Strip, taking Israeli forces by surprise and claiming the lives of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, both Israelis and foreigners. Another 240 people were kidnapped and 133 currently remain hostages in Gaza, according to estimates by Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
“I have carried that black day with me ever since,” Haliva remarked in his resignation letter.
Herzi Halevi, Israel's chief of staff, and Shin Bet, head of the Domestic Intelligence agency, also accepted their share of responsibility for the October 7 security failures, but there has been no indication that they will leave their positions for the duration. war.
At the end of February, The Israeli Army launched an internal investigation to analyze the troops' response to the Hamas attack. Halevi is expected to present the results in early June.
For his part, Netanyahu has not acknowledged any responsibility for the attacks, even though opinion polls reveal that a majority of the Israeli population blames him for not having done enough to prevent them.
According to the Israel Democracy Institute survey, published on April 22 and conducted between the 14th and 17th of the same month, 62% of the Israeli population believes that the time has come for those responsible for the failures in the response to the attack to resign.
In response to the assault, Israel began the current offensive, marked by constant bombings against civilian infrastructure, ground incursions into Gaza and blockades of access to humanitarian aid. Although Israel points out that its operations focus on targets of Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad, the vast majority of those killed in more than six months of hostilities are civilians.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Army continues the siege with air and ground attacks throughout the Gaza Strip. In the last 24 hours, at least 55 people were killed and The total number of fatalities amounted to at least 34,151 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Likewise, the total number of injured people increased to 77,084, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported this Monday.
Read alsoGaza: six months of death, destruction and hunger
Netanyahu: Israel will increase “military pressure” against Hamas in the coming days
While the Palestinians are kept in suspense by the feared ground incursion in Rafah, in the extreme south of Gaza, where the majority of internally displaced people take refuge, the Israeli prime minister warned that in the coming days his Army will intensify the offensive against the militants of Hamas.
“In the coming days we will increase military and political pressure on Hamas because it is the only way to free our hostages,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, published on the night of Sunday, April 21, on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover
The premier threatened to take “additional and painful measures” and attacked the Islamist group for, as he assured, rejecting proposals for a truce, including the release of more than one hundred hostages who remain in their possession.
“Unfortunately, so far all proposals for the release of our hostages have been flatly rejected by Hamas. That is why the US Secretary of State rightly said that 'Hamas rejected every offer made to it,'” said the far-right leader.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
“Why is this night different, citizens of Israel?
On this night, 133 of our dear brothers and sisters are not around the Seder table, and they are still held hostage by Hamas in hellish conditions. pic.twitter.com/CEY5GtlKC4
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 21, 2024
However, in recent days, Hamas leaders have stated that Israel refused to meet their demands for a truce. The group that controls Gaza demands an agreement that will lead to the end of the war, Therefore, he calls for the withdrawal of all Israeli troops, but the Netanyahu Administration assures that it is only willing to a provisional cessation of hostilities, to continue with its declared objective of “eliminating” Hamas.
With EFE, Reuters and local media
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