The Director of the Shin Bet spoke out for the first time since the outbreak of war in the south, addressing the intelligence and operational failure leading to the massacre in the Gaza settlements.
Per his statement: “Despite a series of actions we carried out, unfortunately, we did not manage to create sufficient warning on Shabbat allowing for the foiling of the attack. As the person heading the organization – responsibility for that is on me. There will be time for inquiries. Now we fight.”
He continued:
“People demonstrated heroism, bravery, and fighting spirit. Forces spread out in the area and moved from battle to battle, in the face of dozens of terrorists. We lost ten of our best people, many of our people were wounded, servicemen lost their loved ones. Innumerable stories of heroism, unhesitating efforts to close (with the enemy).”
“All workers of the organization arrived at the units, command posts were opened, designated teams were formed. Anyone bearing arms went down to fight. The fighters go out for a tequila at the end of a funeral, the investigators bring intelligence from terrorists who were caught, coordinators in the field moved from fighting to (intelligence) collections. The intelligence triangle is goal driven and creating intelligence.”
“Already on the first day of the fighting we formed a special network, in cooperation with the IDF, to locate, identify, and coordinate the effort to bring back the kidnapped and missing, as well as various designated teams, based on the goals of fighting.”
“We are at war, not in a round. A round is won with a victory image and quiet, a war is won with victory and a changed situation. There is no border limitation, there is no time limitation. To the end.”