Father of soldier killed on Oct. 7 says government ‘running away’ from admitting fault for Hamas attack

By Jessica Steinberg

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28 September 2026, 8:52 pm

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Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Protesters demonstrate against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government near the "Sukkah of the Failure" event at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, during the holiday of Sukkot, September 28, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Rafi Ben Shitrit, a Yisrael Beytenu Knesset candidate and the father of the slain IDF soldier Alroy Ben Shitrit, who was killed at the Nahal Oz outpost on October 7, 2023, accuses the political echelon of evading responsibility for the Hamas attack even after military officials have accepted blame.

“I met with [former IDF chief] Herzi Halevi four times,” Ben Shitrit says at the “Sukkah of the Failure” event at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. For hours upon hours. I confronted him with the most serious accusations. He lowered his head and said: ‘I am responsible. It happened on my watch.’”

Ben Shitrit, a former Likud member and the former mayor of Beit Shean, says that ex-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar also came to his home and took responsibility, as did other IDF commanders, all of them awaiting a state commission of inquiry.

“Then there is the political echelon, which to this very moment is evading, running away, whitewashing, covering its ass,” says Ben Shitrit. ‘They didn’t wake me up, they didn’t tug at my coat lapel.’ Making excuses that a third-grade child would make.”

“Take responsibility, for God’s sake,” he adds. “Lower your head and say: Citizens of Israel, a terrible, horrific disaster happened to us. I am the prime minister, I am responsible. I am establishing a state commission of inquiry, exactly as prescribed. I bow my head before the bereaved families, and from here I am going to the President’s Residence to submit my resignation.”

“He didn’t do it, he won’t do it. We will all fire him in another 28 days,” Ben Shitrit vows, referring to the upcoming election.

Retired IDF Major General and B’Yachad candidate Noam Tibon, who saved his son, journalist Amir Tibon and his young family from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023, similarly promises that the current government’s failures will all be examined after the October 27 election.

“For those who we lost we have to work hard and kick this terrible government out of the country,” says Tibon, speaking to an audience of hundreds, while in conversation with Gil Dickmann, cousin of murdered hostage Carmel Gat. “Bibi didn’t act on October 7; he wasted time. Everyone from our camp must go out and vote.”