Halevi to resign when ceasefire deal is reached: Israeli media

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
20 Aug 2024 03:43
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Israeli media reports that Halevi will submit his resignation alongside other senior officials.

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Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi in an undisclosed location in 2023 (AFP)

The Israeli chief of staff said in closed discussions that he will resign as soon as a temporary ceasefire is reached between "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza, Israeli media reported on Monday, citing sources.

The sources added that Herzi Halevi’s decision has been made, and other officials are also expected to resign alongside him.

Halevi has indicated that the objectives of the war in Gaza, which have not yet been achieved, "are the return of the captives and the elimination of Yahya Sinwar, according to the Israeli media."

Israeli media outlets reported on Sunday that during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Halevi stated that "there are conditions for the deal and it is wise to enter negotiations to achieve the best possible outcome." Regarding the Philadelphia corridor, the top general of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) said he does "not suggest that we make it an obstacle that prevents us from returning 30 Israeli captives in the first stage."

Halevi had previously admitted responsibility for the failure of the Israeli occupation army in preventing the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023.

“As the commander of the IDF in the war, I bear responsibility for the fact that the IDF failed in its mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel on October 7,” he said last May.

Halevi added, “I am the commander who sent your sons and daughters to the battle from which they did not return and to the places from where they were kidnapped."

He also acknowledged responsibility for answering the hard questions, admitting that "Israel" is paying a heavy price in its ongoing war on Gaza.

Internal divisions within "Israel" are becoming increasingly apparent, as evidenced by conflicting statements from political and military leaders about the war on Gaza, its objectives, and post-war plans.

These discrepancies underscore a broader crisis within the entity, compounded by mounting pressure from settlers. Nearly daily protests by settlers are calling for a ceasefire deal with the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza to secure the release of Israeli captives.

Earlier, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized the Israeli army’s general staff, saying it had brought “one of the greatest disasters in Israel's history.”