Israel Fires Three Generals, Punishes Senior Officers Over Failures That Allowed 2023 Hamas Attack

Israel’s military has dismissed three generals and imposed disciplinary measures on several other senior officers for their roles in failing to prevent the October 2023 Hamas assault—the deadliest attack in the nation’s history.

The decision follows calls by military chief Eyal Zamir for a “systemic investigation” into the security lapses that enabled the attack, even as the government continues to delay the formation of a state commission of inquiry despite mounting public pressure. Those dismissed include three divisional commanders, one of whom was serving as the military intelligence chief at the time of the attack.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the military said the officers bear personal responsibility for the defense establishment’s failure to stop the assault launched from the Gaza Strip. All three dismissed generals had already resigned before the announcement.

Additional disciplinary actions were taken against the heads of the navy and air force, as well as four other generals and several senior officers.

The moves come shortly after a report by a committee of experts appointed by Zamir concluded the army’s internal investigation into the October 7 attacks. The report identified a “long-standing systemic and organisational failure” within the military, citing critical intelligence lapses despite “exceptional, high-quality information.”

It further highlighted flawed decision-making and inadequate deployment of forces during the night of the attack, pointing to failures across the chain of command.