The head of Israel’s military intelligence resigns after failing to prevent Hamas attack on October 7

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The head of Israel’s military intelligence said Monday he would resign over the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. In doing so, he becomes the first senior figure to resign over his role in Israel’s stunning failure to anticipate or respond quickly to the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.

Major Gen. Aharon HalivaIsrael’s decision could pave the way for more resignations among top Israeli officials. Hamas militants stormed through Israeli border defenses on October 7, rampaging through communities unchallenged for hours and killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians, while taking about 250 hostages into Gaza.

The attack marked the start of the war against Hamas in Gaza, now in its seventh month.

“The Intelligence Directorate under my command did not fulfill the task entrusted to us. Since then I have carried that black day with me, day after day, night after night. I will carry the terrible pain of the war with me forever,” Haliva wrote in his resignation letter, which was provided by the army.

Haliva said he would remain in his position until a replacement is found. He said he planned to resign immediately after Oct. 7, but stayed on through the early part of the war, resigning as the military’s internal investigations gathered pace.

His announcement came at the start of Passover, a major Jewish holiday, and as military operations in Gaza have slowed in recent weeks in anticipation of a possible offensive on the southern city of Rafah.

The timing of any resignations of security and military officials is complicated by the ongoing war in Gaza and fighting with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah along Israel’s northern border. Tensions with Iran have also risen following the attacks between the two enemies.

Some military experts have said that stepping down at a time when Israel is involved on multiple fronts is irresponsible and could be interpreted as a sign of weakness.

Shortly after the attack, Haliva and others publicly said they took the blame for failing to prevent the October 7 attack.

Other leaders have quit, most notably the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has said he will answer tough questions about his role but has not outright acknowledged direct responsibility for allowing the attack to happen.

He has also refused to resign even as a growing protest movement demands early elections.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid welcomed Haliva’s resignation, calling it “justified and dignified.”

“It would be appropriate if Prime Minister Netanyahu did the same,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

The Hamas attack, which took place on a Jewish holiday, caught Israel and its vaunted security establishment completely off guard. Israelis’ confidence in their military – seen by most Jews as one of the country’s most trusted institutions – was shattered by Hamas’ attack. The resignation could help restore some of that trust.

The resignation came as Jews around the world prepared to celebrate Passover, a weeklong holiday that begins Monday evening and marks the biblical exodus of Jews from slavery in Egypt. With around 130 people still being held captive in Gaza, this year’s Passover is sure to take on a more somber tone: for many Israelis it is difficult to fathom a celebration of freedom while dozens of people are still being held hostage.

“As we gather around the Seder table to commemorate and celebrate our journey from slavery to freedom, our hearts are heavy with the plight of the 133 Israelis who remain in captivity,” Netanyahu wrote on to see hostages returned to their families.”

According to the local health ministry, the Hamas attack sparked the devastating war that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, but says at least two-thirds of the dead are children and women.

The fighting has devastated Gaza’s two largest cities and prompted 80% of the population to flee to other parts of the besieged coastal enclave. The war has created a humanitarian crisis that has led to warnings of an impending famine.

On Monday, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel, prompting retaliatory attacks. The Israeli military said 35 projectiles were fired at one of its bases without causing any casualties. It said it had hit the sources of the rocket fire.

Hezbollah said the attack was in response to recent Israeli attacks on towns and villages in southern Lebanon.

The two sides have exchanged fire along the border almost daily since the start of the war in Gaza.

Also on Monday, Israeli police said a car rammed into pedestrians in Jerusalem, slightly injuring three people. Security camera footage showed two men getting out of the car with a gun before fleeing the scene. Police later said they had arrested the two men.

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This story has been edited to correct the spelling of Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva’s last name.

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Associated Press writer Julia Frankel contributed to this report from Jerusalem.