Former tank commander Eir Zamir is sworn in as Israel’s new military chief amid growing uncertainty over an expired ceasefire in Gaza.
The 59-year-old formerly head of the Ministry of Defense, replaces Lieutenant General Helji Halevi, who resigned in January after admitting he had not fulfilled his duties.
At the swearing ceremony at Tel Aviv’s military headquarters on Wednesday, Zamir reported, “Hamas was actually hit with a serious blow, but has not yet been defeated, but has not yet been defeated. The mission has not yet been achieved,” Al Jazeera reported.
Speaking before Zamir, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “deterred” to achieve victory in the war.
The battle in Gaza was suspended from January in the first phase of a multi-stage ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Egypt, and supported by the US, allowing the exchange of 33 Israeli prisoners and five Thai prisoners for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
However, some Israeli ministers have warned that their troops can resume fighting if there is no agreement to regain the remaining 59 prisoners of war.
Although Israeli forces have been pulled back from some of their positions in Gaza, discussions have begun intended to agree to a second phase of a ceasefire aimed at seeing the full withdrawal of Israeli forces before the release of the remaining living prisoners and the end of the war.
Israel has allowed the remaining prisoners to be released in sought an extension of the first phase ceasefire through April, and Hamas insisted on sticking to the agreement that took place in January.
Zamir’s oath began investigating Israel’s failure to prevent Hamas-led attacks on Hamas-led Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in at least 1,139 people being killed in the attacks, and about 250 were taken prisoner in one of the biggest military and security obstacles in Israel’s history.
Halevi led the army during Israeli attacks against Gaza, which killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of its territory, evacuating most of its population in tents or bombed buildings.
However, he announced in January that he would resign from the order, accepting responsibility for the military’s response to the October 7 attack shortly after the Gaza ceasefire contract was agreed.
On Wednesday, when he handed over his command, he called for a broader investigation into the failure on October 7, 2023.
“The establishment of a national investigation committee is both necessary and essential, so that we don’t take responsibility, but first and foremost, to understand the root of the problem and make it possible to correct it,” he said.
Both the Israeli military and the Singh Bett security department have admitted that their failures allowed the attack, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted a more general investigation than ever considering his government’s responsibility.
The new commander will also need to respond to accusations from international organizations, including the United Nations, that Israeli forces committed war crimes during their campaign in Gaza.
Israel refuses these charges, but has indicted individual reserve soldiers for severe abuse of detainees.
Israel says Hamas, accused of war crimes by UN agencies, committed multiple atrocities during the attack on October 7th, and violently abused Israeli prisoners in Gaza. Hamas denys the accusation.