WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview released on Thursday that he was “sad” that Hamas was able to carry out the October 7 attack without clearly claiming responsibility.
Netanyahu, who has refused to apologize for failing to secure Israel's deadliest attack and has focused on destroying Hamas, was asked if he would apologize during an interview with Time magazine.
“Excuse me?” he was quoted as saying.
“Of course, I am deeply sorry that this happened, and you always look back and say, ‘Could we have done something to prevent this from happening?’” he said.
The right-wing leader is Israel's longest-serving prime minister and has long called himself a staunch defender of Israel's security.
Shortly after the October 7 attacks, Netanyahu posted on social media that intelligence had failed to anticipate Hamas's operations and warned him.
He has since deleted the post and apologized after many Israelis accused him of blaming others and endangering national unity.
In the interview, Time magazine asked Netanyahu what message he would send to his political opponents who have suffered one of the country's worst security failures.
Netanyahu said it would depend on whether the leader could lead Israel “to victory.”
“Can they guarantee that the post-war situation will be peaceful and secure? If the answer is yes, then they should remain in power.”
Hamas carried out the deadliest attack in Israeli history on October 7, killing a total of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to AFP, citing official Israeli figures.
Palestinian militants have taken 251 hostages, with 111 still held in the Gaza Strip, including 39 whom the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel's retaliatory military operation in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 39,677 people, according to the Hamas-controlled territory's health ministry, which did not provide details on civilian and terrorist deaths.
