JERUSALEM - The head of Israel's Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency on Monday took responsibility for failing to prevent Hamas from carrying out its deadly rampage through Israeli towns.

"Despite a series of actions we carried out, unfortunately, on Saturday we were unable to generate sufficient warning that would allow the attack to be thwarted," said Shin Bet director Ronen Bar in a statement.

"As the one who heads the organization, the responsibility for this is on me. There will be time for investigations. Now we fight." REUTERS