Israel has dismissed three senior generals and sanctioned several high-ranking officers over what the military described as severe failures that enabled the October 2023 Hamas assault, the deadliest attack in the country’s history.
The announcement, made on Sunday, comes amid growing public demands for accountability, even as the government continues to resist establishing an independent state inquiry.
According to the military, those removed include three divisional commanders, including the officer who served as head of military intelligence during the attack. The army said the commanders bore “direct personal responsibility” for the systemic lapses that left Israel unprepared for the surprise assault launched from Gaza.
All three generals had already resigned, among them former Southern Command chief General Yaron Finkelman.
Additional disciplinary measures were issued to the heads of the navy and air force, along with four other generals and multiple senior officers across the chain of command.
The development has renewed debate over whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will eventually face consequences, despite his insistence that accountability be delayed until the Gaza war concludes. Polls indicate broad public support for a full independent inquiry into the security collapse.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack killed 1,221 people and ignited a two-year conflict in Gaza. Israel’s military response has resulted in at least 69,756 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry figures cited by the UN as generally reliable.
The dismissals follow an internal military investigation led by a panel of experts appointed by current military chief Eyal Zamir. The report described the attack as the outcome of “long-standing systemic and organisational failure,” citing an intelligence breakdown despite “exceptional, high-quality” information warning of unusual movements. It also faulted poor decision-making and troop deployment on the night of the assault.
Defence Minister Israel Katz has directed the defence establishment’s comptroller, Yair Wolans, to review the findings and recommend whether further inquiry is necessary—fueling speculation over rising tensions between Katz and Zamir, who have publicly differed over the Gaza war.
Meanwhile, violence persists across the region. The Israeli military said on Monday that its forces shot three militants who crossed the “Yellow Line” buffer zone established under the ongoing U.S.-brokered truce. Two were reportedly killed near Khan Yunis, where Gaza’s civil defence agency also confirmed fatalities from a drone strike. Hospitals in Khan Yunis and Gaza City reported multiple casualties from Israeli fire, including drone and tank attacks.
In the West Bank, Palestinians held the funeral of Bara’a Ma’ali, killed during an Israeli raid in Deir Jarir.
Hamas said a delegation has been in Cairo meeting with mediators to discuss terms for the second phase of the ceasefire arrangement that began on October 10.
