Tel Aviv, April 22 (IANS/DPA): The head of military intelligence, Major General Aharon Haliva, has resigned, the Israeli army announced on Monday.

The army said that Haliva wanted to fulfil his leadership responsibilities following the "events of October 7."

Militants from the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement and other groups murdered more than 1,200 people in their massacre on October 7 last year and abducted around 250 and took them to the Gaza Strip.

Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant agreed to the request for his resignation. According to military sources, he will also leave the army as soon as a successor is found.

It was initially unclear exactly when this would be. Haliva wrote in a letter that the intelligence department had failed to fulfil the task entrusted to it.

Haliva said shortly afterwards that he bore responsibility for the mistakes that led to the terrorist attack. In order to clear up these mistakes, he also called for the establishment of a state committee of enquiry.

Israel responded to the massacre with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. In view of the high number of civilian casualties, more than 33,000 according to Hamas health authorities, and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel is being increasingly criticized internationally.