BG Barak Hiram assumed the role of Commanding Officer of the Gaza Division on Monday, replacing BG Avi Rosenfeld.
A ceremony for the change of command was held in the Gaza Strip with the troops in the field, led by the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, MG Yaron Finkelman, and with the participation of additional commanders.
"The Southern Command and the Gaza Division have been operating for almost 11 months in a war that began unexpectedly. A war that started with a significant failure on our part. Since then, we have been operating day and night to achieve victory and restore security to the residents of the communities and the citizens of Israel. We will continue to operate—for the dismantling of Hamas, for the return of the hostages, and for the residents and communities," MG Finkelman stated.
"We stand here with the division's soldiers who are defending the communities near the Gaza Strip and the city of Sderot. We are in the midst of a war that began with a major failure, a surprise attack by the enemy, during which the residents of the communities near the Gaza Strip and the division's troops fought heroically, few against many, for long hours until the attack was halted, at a heavy and painful cost. Since then, we have worked within the division to create a barrier between us and the enemy to prevent any terrorist from infiltrating Israeli territory. We must continue working to fundamentally change the security situation in Gaza so that there will no longer be an armed terrorist organization on our border, and the threat posed by Hamas can be removed. At the same time, we have an overriding duty to do everything possible to bring all the hostages home as quickly as possible," outgoing Commanding Officer of the Gaza Division, BG Avi Rosenfeld, added.
The new Commanding Officer of the Gaza Division, BG Barak Hiram stated: "We are determined to achieve the goals of the war. We will continue to operate until the Hamas terrorist organization is defeated, until the hostages are returned, and until the residents of the communities near the Gazan border can safely return to their homes. Protecting the residents near the border is the division's mission and my mission. Together, we will work towards restoring security, trust, and the return of residents to their homes. I wholeheartedly believe in the professionalism and capability of the division's personnel to meet the significant challenges we face."