(Paris) The Israeli ambassador to France, Raphael Morav, recognized on Saturday the possibility of a failure of the Israeli intelligence services as well as insufficient preparation of his country in the face of the Hamas offensive, in interviews with French media.
“If we had had the slightest information, we would have taken the means to counterattack. We would have been ready. So there must have been a failure at the intelligence level, I won’t hide it. Now, what is important is to give a consistent response to this attack,” the diplomat told the BFM television channel.
“Following this surprise, we were not sufficiently prepared, we can even say barely prepared,” he added on Europe 1 about this spectacular attack which has already left 70 dead on the Israeli side, according to Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross.
In return, there were 232 deaths on the Palestinian side, according to the Health Ministry of Hamas, the Islamist movement in power in the Gaza Strip since 2007.
“Lessons will have to be learned,” said the diplomat on Europe 1, while the Israeli security services are renowned for their efficiency. “The goal is for it not to be repeated. »
Israel and the Gaza Strip are at war after the early morning launch of Hamas’ military offensive, which fired thousands of rockets, infiltrated fighters into Israeli territory and captured an unknown number of Israelis.