JERUSALEM: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has admitted that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has failed to protect its citizens, Western media reported on Sunday.
He added the government was taking responsibility for the recent escalation between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas.
Smotrich, at a news conference said that Israel has to admit honestly that the state leadership and the security establishment, have failed to protect its citizens.
He added Israel has failed to implement the unwritten contract between a state and its citizens.
2,300 innocent Palestinian civilians killed in war
In the past eight days Israel has launched a devastating bombing campaign in Gaza, resulting in the killing of more than 2,300 innocent Palestinian civilians. Israel has cautioned 1.1 million Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza, indicating a ground offensive.
The United States, that has sent two aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean in support of Israel, voiced its concerns about a potential escalation.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been engaging with different states in the Middle East to prevent a broader crisis. Meanwhile, Israel’s warning for Gaza residents to leave their homes has been criticized by aid agencies, accusing Israel of inflicting collective punishment on civilians.
READ ALSO: Over 1 Million Gaza Residents Displaced Amid Fears of Israeli Ground Attack
The UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has said that more than one million people have already been displaced within the first week of the conflict.
The situation in Gaza remains critical, with shortages of water, fuel, and food supplies. Hospitals have already reached at their maximum capacities, and electricity outages pose a threat to life-support systems.
The closure of Israeli-controlled crossings and the shutdown of the Rafah border have almost trapped Gaza residents, leaving them with limited options to escape.
