TEL AVIV (Agencies): Aharon Haliva, the head of the Israeli Directorate of Military Intelligence, announced his resignation on Monday. The decision came in the wake of the department’s inability to thwart the Hamas attack that took place on October 7, 2023, as reported by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Haliva requested to step down from his position in consultation with the Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi. This decision was a result of his leadership responsibility for the events that transpired on October 7, as stated by the IDF.
On the aforementioned date, Hamas initiated a large-scale rocket attack against Israel, breaching the border and targeting both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. The attack resulted in the death of nearly 1,200 people in Israel, with around 240 others being abducted. In response, Israel launched retaliatory strikes, imposed a complete blockade of Gaza, and began a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the objective of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip have reportedly led to over 34,000 deaths so far, according to local authorities.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas, which involved the exchange of some prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended multiple times but expired on December 1. It is believed that more than 100 hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
A new round of talks between Israel and Hamas commenced in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on April 7. The ceasefire proposal discussed during the talks included the release of 40 Israeli hostages in exchange for 900 Palestinian prisoners, as part of a three-stage plan put forth by international mediators. However, Hamas largely rejected the proposal, stating that it would present its own plan for a permanent resolution to the conflict in the region.