The Israeli military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, announced on Tuesday that he would resign in early March, citing in part the military’s failure while under his command to protect Israelis from the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
The heavy toll of the Hamas attacks — 1,200 dead in Israel and 250 taken hostage to Gaza — had long prompted an expectation in Israel that at least some of the country’s leaders would ultimately resign. Only a handful have done so, in part because Israel has since faced an unprecedented war, and General Halevi is the highest-ranking military leader to step down so far.
“My responsibility for the terrible failure accompanies me every day, every hour and will for the rest of my life,” he said in a letter announcing his resignation.
General Halevi resigned just three days after Israel and Hamas began a 42-day truce, the first phase of a cease-fire and hostage release deal. On Sunday, Hamas released three women hostages for 90 Palestinians jailed by Israel, mostly women and minors.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has rebuffed calls to step down over the attack, saying only that he would have to answer “difficult questions” after the war, like everybody else. He has given no suggestion that will change because of the truce with Hamas, which mediators hope will ultimately put an end to the war.
Over the past 15 months, General Halevi, who assumed the role in early 2023, has overseen the Israeli military through the war in Gaza, a ground invasion of Lebanon, military operations in Syria and strikes in Iran.
Citing the cease-fire deal with Hamas, General Halevi said the timing was “now ripe” for him to leave. He also said that the Israeli military had scored a number of major achievements, allowing him to bow out with Israel’s “deterrence and might” restored.
But he conceded that Israel’s war aims — which include Hamas’s destruction and the return of all the remaining hostages — have “yet to be achieved.”
On Sunday, Hamas fighters celebrated the cease-fire with a show of force across the enclave, as masked and armed fighters spread out publicly through its cities, sending a message that they remained in power despite the devastating war with Israel. Most of the hostages will remain in Gaza unless Israel reaches new terms with Hamas to extend the 42-day cease-fire.
Mr. Netanyahu’s far-right allies had long clashed with General Halevi, who was appointed by their centrist opponents. Hard-liners like Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the former national security minister, have criticized the military’s high command for not launching an even more aggressive campaign in Gaza.
Israel Katz, the defense minister and close associate of Mr. Netanyahu, will now have the opportunity to nominate a new chief of staff. In practice, that means Mr. Netanyahu may now have the opportunity to appoint someone more to his liking, military analysts said.
Shortly after General Halevi’s announcement, another senior general — Yaron Finkelman, head of the military’s southern command — also resigned. General Finkelman’s role tasked him with overseeing Gaza and protecting Israeli communities bordering the enclave.
