Outgoing navy chief Herzi Halevi requires a wider examination of the failures on October 7, 2023.
Former tank commander Eyal Zamir has been sworn in as Israel’s new navy chief amid rising uncertainty over the expired ceasefire in Gaza.
Beforehand director of the defence ministry, the 59-year-old replaces chief of employees Lieutenant Common Herzi Halevi, who resigned in January admitting he had did not fulfil his mandate.
At his swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday at navy headquarters in Tel Aviv, Zamir stated he was prepared for the challenges forward, noting that whereas “Hamas has certainly suffered a extreme blow … it has not but been defeated. The mission isn’t but achieved.”
Talking earlier than Zamir, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel was “decided” to realize victory in its struggle.
Combating in Gaza has been halted since January underneath the primary section of a multistage truce brokered by Qatar and Egypt and supported by the US that has allowed the alternate of 33 Israeli captives and 5 Thai captives for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
However some Israeli ministers have warned that their forces may resume preventing if there isn’t a settlement on bringing again the 59 captives that stay.
Israeli troops have pulled again from a few of their positions in Gaza however talks that have been supposed to agree on a second section of the truce that will see the discharge of the remaining dwelling captives and the total withdrawal of Israeli forces earlier than an finish to the struggle haven’t begun.
Israel has known as for an extension of the primary section truce till April to permit the discharge of the remaining captives, whereas Hamas has insisted on sticking to the settlement made in January, which requires talks on a everlasting finish to the struggle, earlier than agreeing to any extra releases.
Inquiries
Zamir’s swearing-in comes as a sequence of official inquiries have begun to look at the Israeli failures that failed to forestall the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. A minimum of 1,139 individuals have been killed within the assault and roughly 250 others have been taken captive in one of many largest navy and safety disasters in Israel’s historical past.
Halevi led the navy throughout the Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed greater than 48,000 Palestinians and destroyed a lot of the territory, leaving many of the inhabitants sheltering in tents or bombed-out buildings.
However he introduced in January, quickly after the Gaza ceasefire deal was agreed, that he would step down from his command, accepting duty for the navy’s response to the October 7 assault.
On Wednesday, as he handed over his command, he known as for a wider examination of the failures on October 7, 2023.
“The institution of a state fee of inquiry is important and important – to not place blame, however at the beginning, to know the basis of the issues and permit for correction,” he stated.
Each the Israel navy and the Shin Wager safety company have acknowledged that their failures allowed the assault to happen, however Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thus far resisted a extra normal inquiry that will take a look at the duty of his authorities.
The brand new commander will even have to answer accusations from worldwide our bodies, together with the United Nations, that Israeli troops dedicated struggle crimes throughout the marketing campaign in Gaza.
Israel rejects these costs, nevertheless it has indicted some particular person reservist troopers for extreme abuse of detainees.
Israel says Hamas, which has additionally been accused of struggle crimes by United Nations our bodies, dedicated a number of atrocities throughout the October 7 assault and severely abused Israeli captives in Gaza. Hamas denies the accusations.
