Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recounts speaking to the families of some of the six hostages who were murdered by Hamas in Gaza last week and asking for their forgiveness, Paralel.Az reports citing Times of Israel.

“I told the families, and I repeat it here tonight — I ask for your forgiveness that we did not succeed in bringing them back alive.”

“We were close, but we didn’t succeed,” he says, during a press conference in Jerusalem.

“Israel will not let this massacre simply pass on by,” Netanyahu says, jabbing his finger on the lectern. “Hamas will pay a very heavy price for it.”