The father of St.-Sgt. Barel Shmueli, who remains in critical condition after being shot at the Gaza border, slammed Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for the situation, and accused them of placing political clashes over the safety of their soldiers, N12 reported.
Shmueli's father, Yossi, spoke to Netanyahu over the phone when the latter called to ask how his son was doing. Yossi thanked him, but accused Israel's politicians of severe dysfunction as soldiers are harmed.
"It doesn't matter if it's Likud or Bennett," Yossi said, according to N12. "We need to end this scourge affecting our soldiers."
He asked Netanyahu: "Why do you do these things and not know how to take responsibility? This is my only son, and he's in critical condition. He had two surgeries today."
Also Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi visited Shmueli, who remains in critical condition at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.
Earlier that day, IDF Southern Command head Maj.-Gen. Eliezer Toledano also paid Shmueli a visit.
Shmueli was shot while operating undercover earlier this week at the Gaza border during a violent Palestinian riot.
Shmueli's family harshly criticized the general, blaming him for what happened.
"It's not possible that the rioters were able to reach Barel. You should have stopped them much earlier," they said, KAN reported. "Take off your uniform."
Later, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked also visited Shmueli in Soroka, N12 reported.
Despite friends and family visiting Shmueli in the hospital, Bennett has not paid a visit.
The incident had come amid recent escalations between Israel and Hamas, which recently saw the IDF strike multiple targets in Gaza in response to the launching of incendiary balloons.