"Real face of this terror organisation has been exposed": Former IDF spokesperson on Hamas attack

Tel Aviv [Israel], October 7 (ANI): Former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Lt Col (Res.) Avital Leibovich on Saturday strongly condemned the attacks carried out by Hamas on Israel, characterizing it as a revelation of the "terror organization's real face" to the world.
In an interview with ANI, Avital Leibovich expressed that the international community has demonstrated support for Israel, and even countries that had not previously designated Hamas as a terrorist organization are now recognizing its true face.
Avital Leibovich said, "First of all, I do see a lot of very warm words of support from the international community. I see it from the US. I see it from the EU, and I see it really from friends all across the world. And I think that, looking at the content of the messaging, it is very clear today to the world, even those countries who still did not designate Hamas as a terror entity today, they understand what is Hamas and the fact that."
"Hamas terrorists are entering houses in Israeli communities and trying to assassinate women and children and elderly. And this is the most inhumane, lowest-level thing that a person could do on earth. Then I think the real face of this terror organization, which for us in Israel has been very clear and known for many, many years, I think that has been exposed today to the world," she added.
Leibovich expects the international community to continue its support for Israel as it undertakes a broad retaliatory action to protect itself and reestablish deterrence. She said, "I do expect the international community to continue its support while Israel initiates a wide retaliation because we have no choice at this point but to protect ourselves and to make sure the deterrence is back and there is no repetition of something even in the slightest similar to what we have witnessed and are still witnessing today."
Former IDF Spokesperson noted that there was no Israeli provocation. She said that Iran has been pouring millions into regions of Palestine, including the West Bank.
Asked about the main reason Hamas attacked on Israel, Avital Leibovich said, "Well, there was no Israeli provocation whatsoever, so this was an independent initiative. I have a very strong feeling that this is very tightly connected with the Iranian directive. As you know, Iran has been pouring millions into the areas of Palestinians, whether it's in the West Bank, whether it's in Gaza, trying to create unrest in this entire region."
"Now, I think that some kind of briefings to understand what went wrong, whether it's intelligence, whether it's operational. I think it's premature for that. First, we are still in a situation of defence, so the army and the other security apparatus are not stopping now and creating some sort of analysis of the situation, because we are still very deeply at the beginning of this war. So, these kinds of lessons learnt will have to wait until the end of this war."
Calling today's attack "heinous," Avital Leibovich said Hamas is responsible for what was been witnessed in Israel in the past couple of hours. She said that people of Gaza will have to suffer the consequences of Hamas. She stated that Israel played a very restrained role since Hamas came into power in 2007.
"Hamas is the terror organisation responsible for what we have been witnessing here in the last couple of hours and by the way, as we are talking, there are still rocket attacks and I'm sitting very close to my shelter here at home. Now, Hamas will be responsible, but unfortunately, Hamas is controlling Gaza and unfortunately, the people of Gaza will have to suffer the consequences of Hamas," Leibovich said.
"Now, Israel played a very restrained role since Hamas came into power in 2007. I think that following this very, very heinous attack today, which is far from being over, and Israelis entering gradually a status of war here, strategically and from an operational perspective, Israel will need to respond in a different way that was not seen until today in a very harsh way. And following the latest statements from Prime Minister Netanyahu and from the military and from the police here, this is the direction we are heading towards. Days will tell, but I think we are heading into a very tough couple of days ahead of us, even more," she added.
Speaking about the current situation in Israel, she said, "Saturday is a day of prayer for us. People woke up in the morning and went to synagogues with those who are observant. The municipality where I live asked all of them to evacuate the synagogues and return immediately to their homes due to the current situation."
She further said, "There are currently blood donations in my neighbourhood because hospitals are reporting blood shortages and everybody is locked in their homes, the streets and roads are empty. There is heightened security in our area... It's really devastating. We have apps that alert us when we need to go into shelters. All the public shelters in the city have been opened... Everybody's very tense, locked at home..."
The death toll in in Israel from the Hamas rocket attack rose to 40, The Times of Israel reported on Saturday citing Magen David Adom emergency service. Furthermore, more than 700 people were injured. According to the Health Ministry, 779 people have been hospitalized.
This comes after a barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel after Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Saturday morning. Hamas has also claimed to have kidnapped five IDF soldiers. However, IDF has not yet spoken on the report. (ANI)