Former Givati commander takes charge of IDF’s Gaza Division from Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram

By Emanuel Fabian

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22 February 2026, 7:48 pm

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Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

L-R: Outgoing Gaza Division commander Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram, Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, and incoming Gaza Division commander Brig. Gen. Liron Betito, at a handover ceremony near the Gaza border, February 22, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

Former Givati Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Liron Betito takes the reins of the IDF’s Gaza Division — the regional division responsible for the border with the Strip — from Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram, who served in the role for the past 16 months.

A handover ceremony took place earlier today near the Gaza border.

Hiram, known for his controversial involvement in the battle at Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7 onslaught, will soon head the Operations Directorate’s Operations Division.

An IDF tactical investigation into the battle at Be’eri has since cleared Hiram of any wrongdoing.