Jerusalem — The head of Israel’s Shin Bet security service, Ronen Bar, has publicly accepted responsibility for the devastating Hamas rampage on October 7th, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 Israelis. In a message addressed to Shin Bet personnel and their families, Bar admitted that despite their efforts, they were unable to provide sufficient early warning to prevent the attack. He firmly stated, “As the leader of this organization, I take full accountability for this tragedy. Now is the time for war, and there will be a thorough investigation later.”
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter on Monday, shedding light on the internal communication within Shin Bet. Renowned for its role in tracking and monitoring Palestinian militants, Shin Bet was alarmed by abnormal activity detected in Gaza prior to the assault. Nonetheless, officials initially believed that only a limited attack was imminent, as reported by the Israeli news site Ynet.
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