In subtle parting shot at government, IDF chief calls for external probe into Oct. 7 failures

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

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi gives a video statement near the southern community of Mefalsim, January 21, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi gives a video statement near the southern community of Mefalsim, January 21, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi in a televised statement after announcing his resignation says he is responsible for the failures on October 7, 2023, as well as for the military’s achievements during the war.

He also calls to appoint an external committee to investigate the army’s failures.

“On the first day of the war, during the General Staff’s situation assessment, I took clear and vocal responsibility for the IDF’s failure to protect civilians” during the October 7 onslaught,” Halevi says. “I did so again publicly on the sixth day of the war.”

“The IDF’s primary mission is to protect the country’s citizens. We failed in that. I have carried the consequences of that terrible day ever since and will carry them with me for the rest of my life,” he says.

“Throughout my service in the IDF, I was taught that an operation concludes only when its missions are complete. An operation ends when everyone returns. An operation ends after a debriefing. The purpose of the IDF’s investigations is learning — whether the force succeeded or failed,” Halevi says.

He says the IDF “must provide answers and conduct thorough, high-quality, and fully transparent investigations.”

“We investigate out of commitment to the fallen, the hostages and their families and members of the Western Negev communities; we investigate out of the obligation to learn, and in a way that will allow us to better protect the citizens of Israel in the future,” Halevi says.

He says the concluded investigations will be presented to Defense Minister Israel Katz and the public.

IDF chief Herzi Halevi (L to R), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IAF Chief of Staff Omer Tischler at the IAF’s underground command center at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv on December 26, 2024. (IDF)

Halevi also addresses pervasive conspiracy theories about October 7: “I can confidently say now: no one hid information. No one knew what was about to happen. No one helped the enemy carry out its brutality. Such claims, apart from being false, harm the dedicated service members who acted and continue to act for the nation’s security and deeply understand their responsibilities in light of the outcomes,” Halevi says.

Upon completing the IDF’s investigations, we will better understand what happened to us, why it happened, and how to fix it. The military investigation focuses solely on the IDF, and cannot encompass all the causes and areas that could prevent similar events in the future,” he says. “An investigative committee or any other external body will be able to investigate and examine, and will have the IDF’s full transparency.”

“I bear responsibility for the IDF’s failure, and I also bear responsibility for its achievements. I will say in advance that I wish we had not needed these achievements, and no success can undo the immense pain, sorrow, and loss caused since the war began,” Halevi says.

Noting the IDF’s achievements, Halevi says “The Middle East has changed, our threat map has been fundamentally altered, opportunities have opened up, and we must continually assess the risks.”

Regarding Hezbollah, the IDF chief says the Lebanese terror group “suffered a defeat.”

“Most of its leadership was eliminated; over 4,000 terrorists were killed, including the organization’s senior command chain, headed by Hassan Nasrallah,” he says.

On Hamas, Halevi says the Palestinian terror group’s military wing “was hit very hard.”

Troops of the Kfir Brigade operate in the northern Gaza Strip, in a handout photo issued by the IDF on January 7, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

“Most of the organization’s leadership was killed, headed by Yahya Sinwar, as well as the senior members of the military wing, headed by Muhammad Deif. The IDF eliminated close to 20,000 Hamas terror operatives,” he says.

“We have not yet returned all the hostages and we have tasks to complete against the Hamas governance and against the guerrilla and terrorist capabilities that the organization still possesses,” Halevi says.

In the West Bank, Halevi says the IDF has killed 794 terror operatives. “Terrorism in Judea and Samaria could have been much more significant in this war if it weren’t for the offensive and defensive efforts we took.”

Halevi also notes that in the war, Israel “fought directly against Iran for the first time.”

“We attacked Iran following barrages of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, which were launched at Israel. In two nights we carried out [strikes] with the Israeli Air Force, based on very high-quality intelligence and with brave strategic partnerships and defensive moves that greatly reduced the damage,” he says. Halevi says he has no intention of staying in his role.

“From the moral point of view, it is not appropriate for my tenure to be a complete one, as I have previously announced. Now is the right time for decisions. I have been investing everything in the war for 473 days now, to succeed in eradicating Hamas, the military, and the government; to succeed and return the hostages and to return the residents of the Western Negev and the residents of the north to their homes safely,” he says.

In his speech, Halevi says he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz that he intends to resign on March 6. “Until then, we will properly complete all investigations and urgent tasks, and I will hand over command of the IDF in a thorough and responsible manner to whichever of the candidates is chosen to replace me.”

“I will soon complete 40 years of military service. I made this decision a long time ago and now, when the IDF has the upper hand in all the combat theaters and another hostage agreement has been launched, the time is right,” he says.

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