A state memorial ceremony was held on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem in memory of the fallen soldiers of Operation 'Protective Edge'.
The ceremony was attended by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana, Acting President of the Supreme Court Justice Uzi Vogelman, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and the bereaved families.
The President's speech was interrupted by protest shouts from the bereaved father Ofer Mendelovich against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The father shouted "There is one culprit, 120 hostages." Despite repeated requests from the President to respect the memories of the fallen and stop the shouts, the father continued, and the President paused his speech.
After a few minutes, the President resumed his speech following a request from the ceremony moderator to avoid further interruptions, and after he went down and spoke with the father.
During Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech, shouts were also heard from the audience, including from Simcha Goldin, the father of Hadar, who called out ''You are simply babbling.''
Netanyahu said in his speech: "My brothers and sisters from the bereaved families of those who fell in Protective Edge. I am connected to you with bonds of shared destiny and pain. I know what you went through and what we all lost. It's impossible not to hear these statements which are so alive as if they were said a minute ago. It's impossible not to think of each one of them, our dear sons, IDF soldiers who defended Israel's security, and civilians whose lives were cut short by our despicable enemies."
"There is a saying that 'new wars make us forget old ones', and I don't accept it. Even in the midst of war, we don't forget. We remember everyone and salute their bravery, trying to preserve their sublime stories. On the morning of October 7th, in light of reports of the horrible massacre, I said we are at war, not an operation, not 'another round' – at war – it was clear to me that what happened in previous times will not happen this time," added Netanyahu.
He further said that "In previous operations we dealt severe blows to Hamas, killed terrorists and commanders, and destroyed tunnels, but this time the conditions and necessity for thorough treatment were created. This time the internal and external legitimacy converged to allow us not only to exact a heavy price from our attackers but first and foremost to go all the way. To destroy once and for all Hamas's capabilities and return our hostages, removing any future threat from Gaza. This is what I mean by absolute victory."
"We will overthrow Hamas's regime of evil and bring back our hostages. Hamas is under pressure because we are hurting them and eliminating their senior commanders and thousands of terrorists. They are under pressure because we stand firm on our demands and now is exactly the time to increase the pressure and bring back the hostages, the living and the dead. We will increase the pressure on Hamas and bring them all back. The hostages of October 7th and the hostages of Protective Edge. I add to the goals the return of the northern residents to their homes. In the year after Protective Edge, the western Negev saw a flourishing – we brought expansion to its peak and we will do it seven times with God's help – with achieving victory. The victory will be achieved for the sacred goal for which the sons fell", declared the Prime Minister.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that "We are on the verge of a change that will bring about the collapse of Hamas - the determined actions of IDF soldiers and security forces have brought us close to a decisive point. This is a fleeting opportunity."
"The state of Israel has a moral, ethical, and national duty to bring the abducted back home. The IDF and other security bodies have the ability and full freedom to return to intensive military action following any deal, anywhere, and anytime needed", emphasized Gallant.
He also referred to the need to establish a committee of inquiry into the October 7th failures. "To restore trust and allow the continued life of the residents of the Gaza envelope in their homes, and the security of every Israeli wherever he is, we need to conduct a thorough investigation at all levels. We need to investigate at the operational and decision-making levels, the conditions that led to Hamas's buildup over the decade between Operation Protective Edge and Operation Swords of Iron and the mistakes made in enemy assessment and warnings, culminating on October 7th."
Operation Protective Edge began in the summer of 2014 and lasted 50 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas and other terror organizations.
The operation was declared in response to heavy artillery rocket fire from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel, which began as a reaction to the 'Operation Brother's Keeper' following the abduction and murder of three Israeli boys on June 12th of that year.
68 soldiers, 5 civilians, and one foreign civilian were killed during the operation, and 1,433 soldiers and 837 civilians were injured.