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War between Hamas and Israel
An initial message posted in the middle of the night on Sunday was deleted in the morning. This was followed by a second in which Benjamin Netanyahu apologized.
Published on October 29, 2023 1:44 p.m
Reading time: 1 min
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference in Tel Aviv, October 28, 2023. (ABIR SULTAN / AFP)
Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Israeli security officials for underestimating the risks of a major Hamas attack in a message posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, October 29. “Never and under no circumstances was the prime minister made aware of the warlike intentions of the Palestinian terrorist group,” he wrote. “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 the Cabinet several times by all the security officials and the intelligence services. Until the war broke out.”
The message, posted in the middle of the night, was deleted in the morning. This was followed by another post in which Benjamin Netanyahu apologized. “I was wrong. What I said after the press conference should not have been said and I apologize for it. I fully support all security officials,” he wrote in this new message. “I support the chief of staff, the commanders and the IDF soldiers who are fighting on the front lines for our homeland. Together we will win.”
During a press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Limited War Cabinet Member Benny Gantz the day before, the prime minister acknowledged “a terrible failure” by the security services. “This will be examined until the end. (…) For now, my mission is to save the country and lead the soldiers to complete victory over Hamas,” assured Benjamin Netanyahu. The latter is criticized by parts of public opinion for failing to protect the population, one of his campaign slogans.
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