Eyal Zamir officially became Israel’s military commander, succeeding the role in the midst of heightened tensions with the expiration of the Gaza ceasefire. The ex-tank commander and defense ministry chief replaces Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, who resigned in January after conceding shortcomings in executing his mandate.
At the swearing-in ceremony at military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Zamir indicated he was ready to meet the challenges ahead. He indicated that while Hamas has been severely hurt, it is nevertheless a difficult foe, stating, “The mission is not yet accomplished.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, earlier, reiterated Israel’s determination to win the war.
Fighting in Gaza has been suspended since January under a multi-stage truce brokered by Egypt and Qatar and backed by the United States. The agreement opened the door to the freedom of 33 Israeli detainees and five Thai nationals for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. But some Israeli politicians warned that the conflict may resume if 59 other still-held captives are not agreed to be released.
Israeli troops have withdrawn from some Gaza positions, but talks on a second stage of the truce—dealing with the release of all remaining hostages and Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza—are still to start. Israel is insisting on an extension of the initial truce until April to enable such talks to be held, while Hamas insists on talks being held under the terms of the January deal, which stipulates a final end to hostilities before further releases.
Zamir’s promotion is coming amidst official probes of the failures that facilitated the October 7, 2023, Hamas-launched attack that claimed at least 1,139 lives and abducted around 250 others. The attack ranks among the most severe military and security mistakes in Israel’s history.
Halevi, the commander of the huge military operation in Gaza that claimed over 48,000 Palestinian lives and extensive devastation, tendered his resignation just a while after the ceasefire agreement. He called for a complete investigation into what happened on October 7, advocating a state commission of inquiry to reveal and address the reasons behind the breakdowns.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet security force have acknowledged their own lapses that permitted the Hamas assault. Netanyahu has however resisted broader inquiries that can indict his government for its culpability.
As the new military commander, Zamir has to respond to criticism from international bodies, including the United Nations, which accused Israeli soldiers of war crimes in Gaza. While Israel rejects such allegations, it has tried in court a series of reservist soldiers for abuse of captives. Hamas, on the other hand, is accused of committing war crimes in the October 7 attack and savage abuse of Israeli detainees, which it denies.
