The chief of the IDF Military Intelligence Division (“AMAN”), Major General Aharon Haliva officially announced Monday that he will retire within weeks.
“The head of the Intelligence Division, Major General Aharon Haliva, in coordination with the Chief of Staff, requested to end his position following his command responsibility as head of the National Security Agency in the events of October 7,” the IDF announced. “Major General Aharon Haliva stated in his request his great appreciation for the actions of the IDF officers during the war.”
Haliva wrote in his resignation letter that he was “accepting responsibility and ending my duties” but as Israeli journalist Amit Segal pointed out, he did not write “I failed.”
Instead, Haliva wrote, “The intelligence division under my command did not fulfill the mission.”
Within days after the invasion and massacre, Haliva reportedly said, “Already that morning I understood that it was over. After the war is over I will have to go.”
The military intelligence chief is the first to acknowledge his part in the failure of the Israel Defense Forces on October 7, 2023, to protect the civilians — and their own soldiers — living in communities and bases along the Gaza border. In addition, 253 people were abducted and dragged into Gaza captivity; 134 were freed in a temporary ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas last November, but 133 others remain. Of those, Israeli intelligence has confirmed that at least 34 have been killed by their captors — but officials say others may have died as well.
The announcement came ahead of the IDF’s anticipated, fast-approaching ground invasion of Gaza’s southernmost city, Rafah, located on the border with Egypt.
It is believed that the remaining four Hamas terrorist battalions are holed up in Rafah and preparing to launch a major battle for the group’s survival as a governing force over Gaza, and as an enduring existential threat to the State of Israel.
In addition, it is believed that Gaza’s Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif are hiding in Rafah as well, and likely surrounded with at least some of the remaining hostages to be used as human shields against their elimination.
