By Shahrokh Saei
TEHRAN- A tsunami of resignations seems to be sweeping through the Israeli army in the wake of the regime’s military and intelligence failures.
On Thursday, Israeli media reported that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi is making preparations to step down in late December. That is the time the Israeli army is set to have completed all of its internal investigations into the failures surrounding the Al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise military operation carried out by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7 last year which dealt a humiliating blow to the regime.
Halevi has several times acknowledged full responsibility for failing to prevent the Al-Aqsa Storm.
Earlier, Israel’s military told CNN that the head of 8200 Intelligence Unit, who is believed to have played a pivotal role in failing to prevent the Hamas’ attack, is also stepping aside.
Brigadier General Yossi Sariel has informed the army that he will “conclude his role in the near future”.
“Today, in accordance with the state of the war, the processes of the gathering ranks and the building of the unit’s resilience, and after the completion of the initial investigative processes, I request to fulfill my personal responsibility as the commander of the unit on
October 7 and at a time to be determined by my commanders to pass the baton to the next shift,” Sariel said in a letter, according to the Israeli broadcaster Kan that was published on Thursday.
Sariel is among several senior officials who have resigned after facing criticism for failing to predict or forestall the Al-Aqsa Storm.
Reports also suggest that more than 1,000 Israeli officers have submitted requests to terminate their contracts with the army.
The Israeli army is accused of coverup amid fears that reports about the resignation requests could plunge the regime into total chaos.
This comes as the Israeli military has been grappling with a shortage of soldiers amid its war of genocide on Gaza which erupted following the Al-Aqsa Storm.
On July 1, war minister Yoav Gallant revealed that the army urgently required an additional 10,000 soldiers amid reports of a “significant increase” in the number of officers seeking early retirement from military service.
Last month, the Israeli military threatened to make dozens of soldiers face trial over their refusal to return to the Gaza Strip, amid growing cases of such refusals in recent months.
Israeli media said in late August that at least 20 soldiers have refused to return to Gaza.
More than 1,100 people were killed during the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation and over 250 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive. Over 100 captives were released in a swap deal with Hamas in November last year. Israel has freed several captives during raids in Gaza
while dozens of them have been killed as a result of the regime’s strikes. Dozens of captives still remain in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of derailing the talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire deal with Hamas which could end the war and ensure the release of the captives.
Israel has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, including some 16,000 children in Gaza since the start of the Gaza onslaught.
Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until “destroying” Hamas and achieving “total victory” over the resistance group. Gallant has described Netanyahu’s “total victory” slogan as “gibberish” and “nonsense”.
For now, the wave of resignations in the Israeli army indicates that a growing number of officials is disillusioned with the prolonged Gaza war. They have realized that the Israeli army will not only fail to eliminate Hamas but also the continuation of the conflict will claim the lives of more soldiers on the battlefield.
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