not everywhere· Security· Updated 1 Nov, 22:54

Ex-IDF Chief Halevi Calls Oct. 7 a Preventable Failure, Denies Betrayal

Former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, speaking publicly on Sunday for the first time since leaving his post in March 2025, called the October 7 Hamas attack a preventable failure. Addressing the Shurat HaDin conference in New York, Halevi strongly rejected conspiracy theories of internal betrayal, stating there is absolutely no evidence of collaborators and urging political leaders to publicly deny these claims.

8 newsrooms · 5 languages · since 1 Nov, 20:30

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Ex-IDF Chief Halevi Calls Oct. 7 a Preventable Failure, Denies Betrayal — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01Former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi spoke publicly in New York on Sunday for the first time since stepping down in March 2025.
02Halevi called the October 7 Hamas attack a preventable failure but unequivocally rejected claims of internal betrayal.
03He urged political and civilian leadership to publicly and clearly deny conspiracy theories about an inside job.
04Halevi admitted that Israeli intelligence prioritized Iran and Hezbollah, underestimating Hamas's intentions and scale of attack.
05He revealed disagreements with political leadership over the timing and approval of the ground operation in Gaza.
06Halevi asserted that strong military pressure in Gaza was essential for the return of the hostages.
07He acknowledged that mistakes were made during the fighting, including Israeli bombs unintentionally killing hostages.
08Halevi supported calls for a State Commission of Inquiry to investigate the security failures of October 7.

Halevi acknowledged that Israeli intelligence fundamentally miscalculated Hamas's intentions, believing the terrorist organization did not want war and was focused on governing Gaza. He admitted that Israel's strategic priorities had incorrectly placed Iran and Hezbollah ahead of Hamas. He also revealed that it took considerable time to convince the political leadership to approve the ground maneuver in Gaza, which he argued was essential for the return of hostages.

While defending the military pressure in Gaza, Halevi admitted that mistakes were made, including instances where Israeli bombs unintentionally killed hostages. He supported calls for a State Commission of Inquiry, emphasizing that Israel must complete its investigations and ask difficult questions as part of its national healing process.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 7 newsrooms. Updated 03:37