Israel army chief hits back as defence minister orders review of October 7 probe
Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir has challenged Defence Minister Israel Katz’s decision to freeze senior military appointments and order a new review of an investigation into the army’s October 7 failures.
Zamir issued a statement today questioning Katz’s move to query a report compiled over seven months by senior figures in the army that evaluated the army’s own investigations into October 7. The external panel found the military’s self-investigations inadequate.
Katz has now ordered the defence comptroller to begin reviewing whether that external panel was right, and has frozen all senior military promotions until the review is complete. Zamir said the report was “for professional use, not political use” and said he would continue preparing appointments despite the freeze.
The clash escalates a months-long power struggle between the two men over military appointments, with critics warning Katz is politicising the army.
Netanyahu summons Katz and Zamir amid escalating tensions over October 7 reviews
Israel’s public broadcaster is reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has summoned his feuding defence minister, Israel Katz, and the military’s chief of staff, Eyal Zamir.
The two have been engaged in a very public war of words after Katz cast doubt on a military report investigating October 7, ordered a review of that report, and is now seeking an additional review, moves that have reportedly infuriated Zamir.
Katz has also frozen army promotions, a responsibility that would normally fall under the chief of staff, in what is widely seen as a punitive measure.
UN experts warn Israeli violations threaten Gaza ceasefire
UN human rights experts have called on countries to act immediately as Israeli violations threaten the fragile Gaza truce.
Since the ceasefire was announced on 11 October, Israel has committed at least 393 violations, killing 339 Palestinians—including more than 70 children—and injuring over 871 others, the experts said on Sunday.
The 28 October airstrikes marked the deadliest night, with 104 Palestinians killed.
“The ongoing Israeli attacks against the Palestinian population in Gaza constitute a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement,” the experts warned, urging the international community to pressure Israel to make the truce effective and calling for an arms embargo.
