Two senior Israeli generals, including the Chief of the General Staff, have tendered their resignations.

The Chief of the General Staff of Israel’s armed forces has announced his resignation, citing security and intelligence failures that left Israel exposed to Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, 2023.

Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the most senior Israeli commander, resigned saying the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) under his command had “failed in [their] mission to defend the State of Israel” but insisted that they had made “significant achievements” in the retaliatory campaign since.

Israel claims it has killed over 17,000 militants in the Gaza Strip, although it has not provided any evidence, while the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave says over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority of whom they say were women and children.

In a letter to Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, Halevi said he would remain in the post until the completion of the Israel Defense Force (IDF)’s investigation into the October 7 attack before standing down on March 6.

“I will transfer command of the IDF in a high-quality and thorough manner to my successor,” he said.

Major General Yaron Finkelman, the head of Israel’s Southern Command, which oversees operations in Gaza, also tendered his resignation.