Israel’s military intelligence chief has resigned after taking responsibility for failures leading to the Hamas attack on October 7, the military said on Monday, as Israel carried out more shelling in war-battered Gaza.
Major General Aharon Haliva is the first top Israeli official to step down for failing to prevent the Hamas attack, which triggered the Gaza war now in its seventh month, and brought intense scrutiny to Israel’s government and military .
“The intelligence division under my command did not live up to the task we were entrusted with,” Haliva said in his resignation letter. “I carry that black day with me ever since.”
Netanyahu said late Sunday that the Israeli military would increase military pressure to “deliver additional and painful blows” on the Hamas Palestinian militants it is fighting in Gaza.
Israel’s allies including Washington have warned against such an operation, fearing a worsening of Gaza’s already catastrophic humanitarian situation. A majority of Palestinians in Gaza have sought refuge in Rafah from elsewhere in the territory.
The announcement of further military pressure came amid growing global opposition to Israel’s Gaza offensive which has turned vasts areas into rubble and sparked fears of famine.
Gaza was hit by heavy shelling overnight Sunday-Monday, with strikes reported in several areas in the centre and south of the territory, an AFP correspondent said Monday.