The Israeli army dismissed its spokesman Daniel Hagari amid mounting tensions between military leadership, political interference, and ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Israeli media reported on Friday that the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Eyal Zamir, decided to dismiss the army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, at a time when Lieutenant Colonel Benny Aharon is being considered among the possible candidates to replace him.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority (KAN) indicated that Hagari reached an agreement with Zamir to step down in the coming weeks and retire from the army.
The dismissal marks one of the first major decisions by Zamir, who took office two days earlier, succeeding Herzi Halevi, who resigned following widespread criticism over his leadership during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
According to the report, Hagari’s position has weakened in recent months due to tensions between Israel’s Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
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The reasons behind the disagreements were not fully disclosed, but Israeli media suggested that political disputes and conflicting messaging regarding the war played a role in his departure.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth described the decision as surprising, particularly since no senior military officials have been dismissed over the failures of October 7, 2023.
The newspaper noted that the decision raised questions about the motives behind Hagari’s removal and the possibility of political interference in military appointments.
It also added that Netanyahu’s office was aware of the planned dismissal months ago, fueling speculation that the move was influenced by political considerations.
Hagari’s departure also comes amid heightened tensions between the army and the Defense Ministry.
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In January, Defense Minister Katz publicly instructed former Chief of Staff Halevi to cooperate fully with the State Comptroller’s investigation into the October 7 events. The army reportedly responded with an unusual statement on social media, criticizing the decision to handle internal disputes through the media instead of private dialogue.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale operation against Israeli military targets and settlements surrounding Gaza, attacking 11 military bases and 22 settlements.
Since then, Israel has waged a genocidal war on Gaza with American support, killing and wounding more than 160,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—and leaving over 14,000 missing between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025.
(PC, AJA)
