IOF name Effie Defrin as new spokesperson, succeeding Daniel Hagari
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Defrin, who previously served as a tank battalion commander, was wounded in the 2006 war with Lebanon and later held several key positions.
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In this image taken from a video released by the Israeli military early Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari announces that "Israel" is conducting strikes on military targets in Iran (AP)
The Israeli military announced on Sunday the appointment of a new spokesperson to succeed Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, who has been the face of the occupation entity's war effort and is set to step down.
According to a military statement, the newly appointed chief of staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, has named Brigadier General Effie Defrin as the new spokesperson for the Israeli military.
Defrin, who previously served as a tank battalion commander, was wounded in the 2006 war with Lebanon, the statement noted. He later held several key positions, most recently serving as head of the International Cooperation Division.
Hagari, his predecessor, gained prominence following the outbreak of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, regularly briefing the media and the public—at times multiple times a day.
The Israeli military announced on Friday that Hagari would step down at the end of his term in March.
Israeli media reports suggest that his decision to leave the military was due to the new chief of staff’s refusal to grant him a promotion.
Some of Hagari’s statements during the war sparked criticism from the Israeli occupation government.
In December, he apologized after publicly opposing a bill aimed at protecting soldiers who disclose classified information to the prime minister.
He also drew a swift rebuke from the government in June after stating that Hamas could not be eradicated.
"To say that we are going to make Hamas disappear is to throw sand in people's eyes," Hagari told the Israeli Channel 13 at the time, adding, “Hamas is an ideology, we cannot eliminate an ideology."
His remarks were promptly dismissed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
