Israel Removes Senior Officers After 'Systemic Failure' Over October 7 Attack

The Israeli military has removed several high-ranking officers from reserve duty and issued formal censures to others after failing to prevent the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, which triggered a prolonged and devastating conflict in Gaza.

The officers formally relieved from reserve service include the former heads of the military intelligence directorate, the operations directorate and the southern command, the unit responsible for Gaza. Several other senior officers received censures or formal reprimands; some will remain in post temporarily, while others have tendered resignations or had their service terminated.

"The IDF failed in its primary mission on October 7th – to protect the civilians of the State of Israel," military chief of staff Eyal Zamir said. "This is a severe, resounding, systemic failure. The lessons of that day are numerous and significant, and they must serve as our compass for the future."

The current head of the intelligence directorate, who on October 7 served as chief of the operations division, was formally censured but will remain in office until the end of his term in 2028; local reports say he plans to resign later at his own request. Reports also named the air force and navy chiefs among those censured for failing to prevent the use of drones and paragliders during the assault.

Public and political pressure

The disciplinary moves come amid growing public demands for accountability. Thousands of protesters, joined by opposition leaders, rallied in Tel Aviv calling for a state commission of inquiry into the intelligence and command failures that allowed the October 7 attack.

Two weeks earlier, Chief of Staff Zamir urged a "systemic investigation." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has rejected criticism of his handling of the events, has so far declined to launch a full public probe.

Human cost and ceasefire status

The October 7 assault, carried out by Hamas and allied Palestinian armed groups, killed about 1,200 people in Israel and left roughly 250 people captive, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s subsequent ground and air campaign has inflicted severe casualties and damage in Gaza; local health authorities report more than 69,000 deaths.

Last month, Israel and Hamas accepted a US-brokered ceasefire agreement, but the arrangement has largely stalled in its initial phase. Both sides accuse the other of violations; Gaza authorities are urging mediators — including Qatar, Turkey, Egypt and the United States — to press Israel to halt ongoing breaches that they say have killed hundreds of Palestinians.

The military says the disciplinary actions are intended to begin addressing the operational failures identified since October 7, but many protesters and opposition figures continue to call for an independent, comprehensive inquiry to determine full responsibility and recommend reforms.