The head of the investigative committee that examined the IDF's investigations of the October 7 failure, Major General (ret.) Sami Turgeman, determined that the Southern Command's operations officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Avni, acted as expected during the events of October 7 - and informed Defense Minister Israel Katz that he deserves promotion. This was learned by ynet. "Avni demonstrated sound judgment and met the required command standard," Turgeman determined, recommending his return to the promotion track. Avni served at that time as the operations officer of the Southern Command and was supposed to be appointed commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, according to the decision of the previous IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Hertzi Halevi.