This Wednesday, Eyal Zamir was formally instated as the Israeli military’s Chief of Staff. In his inaugural speech, he emphasized that the campaign against Hamas remains unfinished.
His appointment follows more than a month after the announcement of his predecessor Herzi Halevi’s resignation. “The IDF has secured significant victories on the battlefield. We have won confrontations in Gaza and Lebanon and executed operations as far as Yemen and Iran. Hamas has suffered severe damage, but it has not yet been eradicated. The mission is ongoing,” Zamir declared.
Addressing the families of Israeli captives in Gaza, he affirmed a commitment to securing their return “by any means and as swiftly as possible.”
During the ceremony, Halevi underscored the necessity of launching a formal inquiry into the events of October 7, 2023.
“A state commission of inquiry is crucial—not for blame, but to identify the root causes of the failures and implement corrective measures,” he stated. “The IDF experienced a profound failure that day. Such a large-scale lapse cannot be examined solely by the military and Shin Bet.” However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently opposed the formation of such a commission.
Halevi had announced his resignation on January 21, taking responsibility for failing to prevent Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Several high-ranking security and intelligence officials, including Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, have also indicated plans to step down over the October 7 events.
Reports since the outbreak of war in Gaza suggest Israeli authorities ignored multiple warnings about Hamas’s planned operation.
Before his new role, Zamir served as Netanyahu’s military secretary between 2012 and 2015. As head of the Israeli Southern Command, he oversaw military actions during the 2018–2019 Great March of Return protests in Gaza, where Israeli forces killed over 150 Palestinians and injured more than 10,000.
His appointment comes amid ongoing Israeli military operations, including violations of ceasefire agreements in Lebanon and Gaza. Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of southern Lebanon while conducting frequent attacks and obstructing the progression of a ceasefire deal in Gaza, with officials warning of a potential return to war.
