Most Israelis think Netanyahu responsible for failing to prevent Hamas attack: Poll

JERUSALEM – As many as 80 per cent of Israelis believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must take responsibility for the security failures exposed by the

Oct 7 assault on Israel by Hamas

.

This is according to a poll in the Ma'ariv newspaper on Friday.

The army chief of staff, the head of military intelligence and the head of the Shin Bet intelligence service have all admitted that

their services failed to prevent the attack

.

Hamas gunmen killed some 1,400 people in the assault, the deadliest day in Israel's 75-year-old history.

Mr Netanyahu's coalition partner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has also said the government leadership and security leadership had failed to protect the country.

But the Israeli Prime Minister has yet to make a clear statement of responsibility.

Mr Netanyahu said this week there are many questions regarding the Oct 7 attack and "we will investigate everything thoroughly".

Even among voters of Mr Netanyahu's ruling Likud party, 69 per cent said he should accept responsibility.

The survey showed Mr Netanyahu lagging far behind former defence minister Benny Gantz, the head of an opposition centrist party who joined a unity government last week.

It said 48 per cent of respondents thought Mr Gantz would make a better prime minister, compared with only 28 per cent for Mr Netanyahu.

The poll indicated that 65 per cent of Israelis were in support of the expected ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli troops.

The poll was conducted on Oct 18 and 19 among 510 respondents and had a 4.3 per cent margin of error, Ma'ariv said. REUTERS