By Sara Lemel
dpa
(TNS) Herzl Halevi October 7 Herzl Halevi October 7
Tel Aviv, Israel — The Israeli military chief announced on Tuesday he was resigning over the “failure” to prevent the surprise attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi wrote in a letter he planned on stepping down as head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on March 6.
He is the most senior Israeli official to resign as a result of the cross-border attack by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, which left some 1,200 people dead and another 250 kidnapped and held in the Gaza Strip.
“As a result of my responsibility for the IDF’s failure on October 7, and at a time when the military has recorded exceptional achievements in restoring Israel’s deterrence and strength, I wish to conclude my tenure on March 6, 2025,” the letter from the top general said.
A short time later, General Jaron Finkelman, who is responsible for the IDF’s Southern Command and also the border with the Gaza Strip, also announced his resignation.
A large segment of the Israeli population believes long-time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the person ultimately responsible for the military and intelligence lapses that failed to avert the atrocity, but he has steadfastly refused step down.
The attack by Iranian-backed Hamas triggered a massive Israeli military response that led to 15 months of war in Gaza. A fragile ceasefire went into effect on Sunday after months of stalled negotiations.
Herzl Halevi October 7
The Hamas-controlled health authority on Tuesday put the death toll in the Palestinian territory at 47,107, with 68 bodies recovered from the rubble in the coastal strip within 24 hours.
President calls for investigation
In a post on social media platform X, Israeli President Isaac Herzog stressed that Halevi deserves gratitude and respect for his performance in the Gaza war.
At the same time, Herzog spoke out in favor of a national commission of inquiry into the events of October 7, 2023 “which draws lessons, assumes responsibility, draws conclusions and builds trust between citizens and their state.”
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos, Herzog called for a global effort to defeat terrorism.
“There has to be a major world effort against terror. Terror is creating havoc in Africa, in all sorts of regions around the world. We must fight terror,” he said.
At the same time, he stressed that the Middle East also has opportunities: “We are seeing historical change. We’re seeing change in Lebanon, we’re seeing historical change in Syria. We are seeing historical change, hopefully in the Gaza Strip.”
In considering the future of the Gaza Strip, Herzog emphasized Israel’s security interests, stating that the nation still suffers from the trauma of October 7.
“How do we make sure that this does not recur?” he asked. “We have to learn from historic lessons and from all our experiences.”
More aid trucks enter Gaza
Around 280 trucks delivered additional humanitarian aid and fuel from Egypt to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the third day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Trucks first entered the Palestinian territory via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. They are then directed to the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing on the Israeli border, where the cargo is inspected and cleared for distribution within Gaza.
Among the trucks to enter on Tuesday were 25 carrying fuel, a representative of the Egyptian Red Crescent told dpa.
Since the ceasefire began on Sunday, more than 1,700 aid trucks have crossed from Egypt to the Gaza Strip, according to the representative.
Approximately 4,000 additional trucks are ready to gradually enter the area. For the first time in 270 days, ambulances are also waiting to transport injured Palestinians.
The ceasefire deal not only pauses the fighting and allows a massive ramp up in badly needed aid deliveries, it also outlines the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
The first swap occurred on Sunday, when three October 7 hostages held by Hamas were traded for 90 Palestinians jailed in Israel.
Another exchange is expected take place this coming weekend.
During this first phase of the ceasefire, a total of 1,904 Palestinian prisoners are to be released in exchange for 33 of the 94 remaining hostages. Israel believes at least 35 of the hostages are dead.
Qatari premier hopes Palestinian Authority returns to Gaza
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman said his country hopes to the see the Palestinian Authority (PA) return to the Gaza Strip, which has been controlled by the Islamist group Hamas for decades.
“We hope to see the PA back in Gaza. We hope to see a government that will really address the issues of the people over there, and there is a long way to go with Gaza and the destruction,” he said, speaking during a panel during the World Economic Forum.
Qatar has been a mediator, along with the United States and Egypt, in reaching the ceasefire deal that began on Sunday between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
If both sides of the conflict “are embarking on this with good faith, then (the ceasefire) will last and lead to phase 2, a permanent ceasefire, and hopefully we have time to address the real issue and to put an end to this conflict that has been there for decades,” the prime minister said.
He praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for its role in achieving the ceasefire deal, including Steve Witkoff, the presidential envoy to the Middle East.
©2025 dpa GmbH. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Notes from APS Radio News
Not long after the attacks of October 7, 2023, the BBC reported that, in the days preceding those attacks, Israel was alerted to an imminent attack.
The Guardian also reported that Israel was warned about an attack days before it happened.
