Netanyahu meeting with southern municipal heads for first time since October 7

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with the regional council heads from southern Israel for the first time since many of their communities were devastated in the October 7, Hamas assault.

Netanyahu is hosting them at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

The premier has faced widespread criticism for failing to meet them until now, with many noting that he first made time to meet with West Bank settler leaders.

Hundreds of residents of the Gaza border communities were killed when Hamas terrorists breached the border, while some 240 were taken hostage.

Other southern towns and cities have faced daily barrages of rockets from Gaza.

Many of the towns and communities have since been evacuated as Israel presses ahead with its offensive in Gaza, leaving tens of thousands internally displaced.

Sderot mayor Alon Davidi tells Army Radio ahead of the meeting that Israel is responsible for what occurred.

“The state of Israel is the one that brought our great enemy upon us. The system that each time we thought we could rely on someone else brought about this tragedy; the leadership brought us to this place,” he says.