A commander of the Israel Defense Forces' Gaza Division announced his resignation on Sunday, citing his failure to protect southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Avi Rosenfeld said: "I failed in my life's mission to protect the [Gaza] envelope. Everyone has to take responsibility for their part and I am the one in charge of Division 143," he wrote in his resignation letter.
"On the morning of Simchat Torah, a war broke out by surprise, without warning. For many hours we were unable to protect the settlements, the tens of thousands of residents, the thousands celebrating at the party in the [Kibbutz] Re'im parking lot and the forces in the outposts against the thousands of terrorists," he wrote.
Speaking of his division's efforts to stop the October 7 attack, which cost the lives of 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and led to the capture of more than 240, of whom 120 are still in captivity, Rosenfeld said he carries with him every day the "the heavy price paid by the citizens and soldiers of the IDF and the security forces and the loss of many friends."