Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized in a message on Sunday
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“Under no circumstances was the Prime Minister made aware of Hamas’ warlike intentions,” Netanyahu wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“All security officials, including the head of military intelligence and the head of internal security, believed that Hamas was afraid to act and sought an agreement. This is the assessment that has been presented to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on multiple occasions by all security officials and the intelligence community. Until the outbreak of war,” the head of government continued.
The tweet, posted in the middle of the night after a press conference by Mr Netanyahu, was removed in the morning and no longer appeared on X, only to be replaced by an apology tweet minutes later.
“I was wrong. What I said after the press conference should not have been said and I apologize. I fully support all security officials. I support the chief of staff, commanders and soldiers of the IDF (Israeli Army), who are on the front lines fighting for our homeland. Together we will win,” writes Mr. Netanyahu.
AFP
During his press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Limited War Cabinet Member Benny Gantz, the prime minister admitted “a terrible failure.”
“There has been a terrible failure here and we will examine it to the end. I promise that no stone will be left unturned. “Right now my mission is to save the country and lead the soldiers to complete victory over Hamas and the forces of evil,” Mr. Netanyahu said before posting his tweet incriminating military officials.
Many political analysts in Israel believe that the remainder of Mr. Netanyahu’s political career is in serious jeopardy because of his failure to ensure the protection of his people, one of his election slogans.
The ax could fall on the Likud leader (right), who holds Israel’s record for long tenure as prime minister, if an independent investigative commission determines his responsibility for negligence before the Oct. 7 killing that left even more lives in its wake According to local authorities, there were more than 1,400 dead on the day of the Hamas attack, mostly civilians and the majority of them.
AFP
Hamas, which has been in power in Gaza since 2007, claims that more than 8,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in incessant Israeli bombings since the conflict began.
Mr. Netanyahu’s published message and his retraction were widely commented on by Israel’s political class and media on Sunday, and even Hamas responded.
“The attempt to evade responsibility and blame the security apparatus weakens the IDF in the fight against Israel’s enemies,” replied opposition leader Yaïr Lapid.
This episode “fuels infighting and once again reveals the extent of fatigue and confusion within its government,” Ezzat Al-Risheq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said in a statement released by the movement.