Israeli Minister in the Emergency Government, Benny Gantz, said on Thursday that everyone who participated in Israel’s leadership cannot absolve themselves of responsibility for the events of October 7.
On that day, Hamas launched Operation al Aqsa Flood against Israel, in response to daily Israeli attacks against the Palestinian people and their sanctities, especially in occupied East Jerusalem.
Gantz, a member of the Israeli government’s military cabinet, said during a press conference that he bears responsibility for the Hamas attacks in the settlements surrounding the Gaza Strip.
He continued, “Everyone who participated in the leadership of Israel in any capacity cannot absolve himself of responsibility… I’ve been in security positions for more than 20 years, and I don’t absolve myself of responsibility”.
Accusations of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to evade responsibility and blaming the army and intelligence services are mounting in Israel.
Gantz, a former defense minister, considered that Israel faces a challenge that it hasn’t witnessed since its establishment, on the military, political and social levels.
Regarding an expected Israeli ground attack on Gaza, he said that the ground operation is one stage in a long-term process that includes security, political and social aspects that will last for years.
He stressed that the war will soon enter additional stages with greater intensity.
Defending his participation in the emergency government and the formation of the Military Ministerial Council, he considered that it was the right step for Israel, and it proved its effectiveness in the decision-making process, in political and security behavior, and in the internal message to Israeli society and the external message to our enemies.
He added, “Just as I knew when to enter, I will also know when to exit from the government… I will stay here until the end of the war”.
Regarding the Israeli prisoners in Gaza, Gantz said, “We made tireless efforts day and night over the past two weeks, to fulfill the moral imperative and national duty of returning our daughters and sons to the homeland”.
Gantz refused to answer a question about whether Israel would allow the re-entry of fuel into Gaza.
