IDF Chief of General Staff Halevi announced plans to resign on March 6

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi on Tuesday, January 21, submitted a letter of resignation effective March 6.

"Recognizing my responsibility for the IDF's failure on October 7 [2023], and at a time when the IDF has made significant achievements, <...> I ask [to be allowed] to leave my position on March 6, 2025," Halevy said, as quoted by The Times of Israel.

The Chief of General Staff notified Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz of his decision and explained that he plans to complete the investigation into the Hamas attack by March 6 and will have time to prepare the IDF for the challenges the army may face in the future before handing over command to his successor.

In addition, following Halevy, the head of the IDF's Southern Military District, Yaron Finkelman, submitted a letter of resignation, notifying the head of the General Staff.

Israel and Hamas have agreed on a ceasefire. What the media say

Earlier, on November 5, 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resigned the country's Defense Minister Yoav Galant, appointing to his position Katz, who was then head of the Foreign Ministry. After that, mass protests began in Israel. Galant, in turn, said that the reason for his resignation was the controversy over conscription, hostages in captivity to Hamas and the commission to investigate massacres.

Later, on January 19, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip began to hold, and Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Israel the next day released the first 90 Palestinian prisoners under the deal, reports "Gazeta.Ru".

The situation in the Middle East escalated in the morning of October 7, 2023, when Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.

The Palestinians intend to return the borders between the two countries that existed before the 1967 Six-Day War, with possible land swaps. Palestine wants to establish its state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and make East Jerusalem its capital. Israel refuses these conditions.