IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen, Herzi Halevi on Wednesday sent out a public letter to all IDF commanders and soldiers that all information relating to the October 7 probes must be sent to his office by January 28.
Halevi said that soon after he will present the results of the probes to the government, the families of those killed, and the general public.
The IDF chief said this was a last appeal to reach anyone who has not been asked for information, but thought that they had important information to share.
A quickly developing situation
Halevi's message was sent out in parallel to developments moving toward a hostage deal, ceasefire, and potential end to the war.
Since October 2023, Halevi has maintained that he would resign early to take responsibility for his role in the disaster, with his normal term not ending until January 2026.
He is expected to resign not long after the probe results are announced, provided there is not some new imminent crisis and that the hostages have all been or have mostly been returned.
Defense Minister Israel Katz has been trying to show Halevi the door for several weeks, with Halevi holding on until at least the hostage deal would go through, given that he has pressed the government to cut such a deal since summer 2024.
An open question is whether Halevi will call for a state inquiry to probe the decisions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was the architect of the contain, but do not topple, Hamas policy from 2009-2023.
Netanyahu has tried to block any such inquiry.
The IDF was originally supposed to issue its probes in summer 2024, but developments in the war and regarding hostage negotiations led Halevi to delay its release.