Israeli security chief takes responsibility for letting Hamas operation slip through

The head of Israel's Security Service said he took responsibility for failing to warn and prevent the surprise attack by Hamas.

"Despite the actions taken, we did not give enough warning to prevent the attack on October 7. This is my responsibility as the head of the organization. There will be a time to investigate, now is the time to fight," Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar wrote in a letter to his staff on October 16.

Mr. Bar stressed that Israel is in a war, not a conventional conflict. "War only ends with a decisive victory and a complete change of situation. There are no geographical or temporal boundaries. Fight to the end," the Shin Bet chief wrote.

Shin Bet is one of Israel's three main intelligence agencies, along with defense intelligence (Aman) and foreign intelligence (Mossad). Shin Bet's main tasks are to protect national security, dismantle terrorist networks, provide information for operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, counterintelligence, and ensure the safety of high-ranking officials and critical infrastructure.

Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar in November 2022. Photo: Times of Israel — Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar in November 2022. Photo: *Times of Israel*

Israeli security forces detected a series of unusual signs in the Gaza Strip in the hours before the attack. Several senior Israeli officials made phone calls on the night of October 6, but the signs were ignored.

Israeli media said that director Ronen Bar went to Shin Bet headquarters and ordered a team of agents to be deployed near the border with the Gaza Strip, anticipating a small-scale raid by Hamas. Shin Bet admitted that at least 10 agents were killed in the Hamas attack.

On October 7, Hamas launched a series of rockets and then launched a coordinated attack by land, air and sea on Israel. The attack shook Israel, a country famous for its world-class intelligence capabilities and spy network.

"In terms of organization and intelligence, this is a catastrophic failure. There are no other words to describe this reality," Khaled Elgindy, an expert at the Middle East Institute in the US, emphasized.

Israeli authorities then launched a retaliatory campaign, conducting airstrikes and blockades and blocking the supply of food, fuel and necessities into the Gaza Strip.

Vu Anh (According to Times of Israel )

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