Incoming IDF intel chief says efforts must be directed at ‘urgent’ mission of returning hostages

The incoming chief of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, says that Israel must dedicate its intelligence efforts to returning the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip while readying for an escalation in the north.

“We are in the midst of a just war, a hard and long [war], that may expand, and we will continue efforts to achieve its goals. We must dedicate our efforts to returning 109 hostages in the Gaza Strip. It is a national mission, ethical, of utmost importance, and urgent,” he says.

“We must continue to increase our readiness for the campaign expanding in the north, and build a good intelligence [picture] for defense and attack, and for more distant arenas, as this directorate has proved recently,” Binder continues.

Alongside fighting and preparing for escalation, Binder says the Intelligence Directorate will also need to investigate itself, make amends and improve from its mistakes.

“Where we failed, we will need to investigate and improve; where we made mistakes we will learn and change; where fractures were opened, however big they are, we will insist to fix and repent,” he says.

“The Israeli people have no other country, the State of Israel doesn’t have another IDF, and the IDF doesn’t have another Intelligence Directorate,” Binder adds.