The head of Israel’s intelligence services admitted this Monday that internal security services “failed to protect” Israeli citizens during the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
Ronan Bar told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the attacks “could have been avoided.”
“We all feel the mistake, we all feel that we could have prevented it. As the head of the organization responsible for its activities, I feel it perhaps more than anyone else,” Bahr said, admitting that there was a failure. Shin Bet to protect Israelis during attacks.
The official said authorities would “thoroughly investigate the Shin Bet’s role in the October 7 Hamas attacks” and vowed to “correct what needs to be corrected.”
“This is a painful and significant investigation,” he stressed.
“Our duty is to protect the people of Israel, it is our duty to the fallen. Without trust in the institutions of the state and its children, we have no right to exist,” he said, adding that the intelligence services’ role in the offensive against Hamas “is not over yet.”
“We will not rest until we have the return of the 128 hostages and the four who were there before,” he explained, referring to those kidnapped in the attacks still held in the Gaza Strip (some of whom have died) and four other Israelis . detained by Hamas before the ongoing conflict began.
In this regard, Bar insisted that authorities are working to recover “those who are alive and those who are not,” as the Times of Israel has already reported.
“This is the real difference between us and them (Hamas): we sacrifice our lives for the citizens, and they sacrifice the citizens,” he accused.
Ronan Bahr and Israeli army chief Herzl Halevi told the Supreme Court today that they oppose Israeli government auditor Matanyahu Engleman’s review of security forces’ conduct during the conflict, saying the procedure could harm the war effort in the Gaza Strip.
Lawyers representing the state said all relevant information, including confidential material, must be presented to the court to fully understand the implications of this review during the ongoing conflict, referring to the offensive on the Gaza Strip.
Israel launched an offensive on the Gaza Strip following Hamas attacks that left about 1,200 people dead and nearly 240 kidnapped.
The military offensive on the Gaza Strip has so far killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, and more than 480 have been killed by Israeli forces or in settler attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to Hamas-controlled Gaza authorities.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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