JERUSALEM: The head of Israel鈥檚 military resigned on Tuesday, taking responsibility for its 鈥渇ailure鈥� to stop Hamas鈥檚 October 7 attack, days after a fragile truce took effect following 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip.
In his resignation letter, released by the army, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said he was stepping down 鈥渄ue to my acknowledgement of responsibility for the (military鈥檚) failure on October 7,鈥� but added that he was leaving at a time of 鈥渟ignificant successes.鈥�
He acknowledged, however, that the goals of the Gaza war 鈥渉ave not all been achieved,鈥� adding the army would 鈥渃ontinue to fight to further dismantle Hamas,鈥� bring back the hostages and enable Israelis displaced by militant attacks to return home.
Shortly after his announcement, Major General Yaron Finkelman also resigned. Finkelman headed Israel鈥檚 southern military command, which is responsible for Gaza.
Hamas鈥檚 attack, the deadliest in Israeli history, resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
It sparked a war that has levelled much of Gaza and, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, killed 46,913, a majority of them civilians, figures the United Nations has said are reliable.
The attack, which also saw 251 people taken hostage, traumatized Israelis and created an unprecedented crisis for the country鈥檚 top leadership.
Ninety-one hostages remain in captivity, 34 of whom the military says are dead.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed early in the war to crush Hamas and to bring home all the hostages.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on Tuesday called on Netanyahu to follow Halevi鈥檚 example.
Saying he saluted the military chief for stepping down, Lapid added: 鈥淣ow, it is time for them to take responsibility and resign 鈥� the prime minister and his entire catastrophic government.鈥�
After months of fruitless negotiations, mediators Qatar and the United States announced a ceasefire that took effect Sunday, on the eve of Donald Trump鈥檚 inauguration as US president.