Israel fires senior officers over October 7 'failure'

Israel is taking action against senior military and security figures after concluding they failed to stop the 2023 Hamas assault.

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said he had dismissed several senior officers and reprimanded others over their failure to prevent the October 2023 attacks by Hamas.

The decision was announced late Sunday following an internal investigation.

What reason was given for the firing of military chiefs?

Zamir said he had fired and reprimanded senior commanders due to the military's failure "to protect the civilians of the State of Israel."

In a statement, the military confirmed that the officers were told they would be released from reserve duty and would no longer serve.

"The IDF failed in its primary mission on October 7th — to protect the civilians of the State of Israel," Zamir said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

"This is a severe, resounding, systemic failure, relating to decisions and conduct on the eve of the event and during it," he said.

"The lessons of that day are numerous and significant, and they must serve as our compass for the future toward which I intend to lead the IDF."

Others received formal reprimands, while one officer was informed that their service would be ended. Another submitted his resignation.

Those released from reserve duty include the former heads of the intelligence directorate, operations directorate and southern command — all of whom had previously resigned from active service but were still in reserve roles. The southern command oversees security around Gaza.

Israeli public demands accountability for October 7 attack

The disciplinary steps come amid mounting political and public pressure for accountability. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has so far not opened a national inquiry into the October 7 attack. Thousands of protesters, joined by opposition leaders, rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday demanding a state commission of inquiry.

According to Israeli tallies, the October 7 assault by Hamas and allied groups killed around 1,200 people, around 800 of them civilians, and saw some 250 taken hostage.

Israel's military response — a ground and air campaign in Gaza — has since devastated large parts of the territory and killed more than 70,000 people, according to health officials in Gaza, while other estimates put the death toll much higher.

Israel and Hamas reached a fragile US-brokered ceasefire agreement last month, forming the first phase of a broader plan intended to end the war.