Israel’s top political and security officials attended the official memorial ceremony for the 898 fallen soldiers in the Israel-Hamas War at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Sunday.
The ceremony began with quotes from soldiers before they fell in battle, including by Sgt. Re’em Batito of the Golani Brigade, who died on October 7, 2023.
Batito’s mother, Dikla, spoke about her connection to her fallen son, even after his passing, and said she visits his grave every morning to read him psalms and some philosophy.
The ceremony included all of Israel’s symbols of government, including President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sarah, Interim Supreme Court Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit, and Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana (Likud). Other senior officials in attendance included Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy, Mossad head David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara,
A commemoration torch was lit by Ayala Shakuri, mother of Advanced-Staff-Sergeant Major Mor Shakuri, a police officer who fell in defense of the Sderot police station on October 7 and wife of Roni, also a police officer, who was killed in a terror attack in September; and Shachar Alfasi, wife of Major David Nati Alfasi, deputy battalion commander in the 202nd Paratroopers Battalion, who died in January in Gaza.
Yizkor was read by Major Omri Bracha, a reserve deputy battalion commander in the Engineering Corps who was seriously injured in Jabalya during the war.
Kaddish was read by Rami Sayif, father of Captain Itay Sayif, a platoon commander of the Givati Brigade who fell in February in northern Gaza.
Next were video comments by Smadar Lugasi of Kiryat Shmona, the lone mother of Ilai Elisha, who was wounded in battle in Gaza in November, returned, and was eventually killed in battle. Lugasi said that she could not visit her son’s grave since he was buried in Kiryat Shmona, which is near the northern border.
Comments from President Herzog
President Herzog said in his address that the “critical, supreme task still lies ahead of us—to urgently bring back the hostages from the hands of the murderers.”
“The elimination of the arch-terrorist Sinwar and other enemies, and the impressive fighting by the IDF and security forces, have created an opportunity that we must not miss,” Herzog said. “We must act with all our might—with all our might, and in every way—with determination, creativity, and boldness to secure the return home of the hostages. Many of the fallen saw this as their supreme mission; so many fought and continue to fight with the images of the hostages in their vests; so many still do so—at home and on the front lines, on land, in the air, and at sea. The blood of our brothers cries out to us. Their rescue is a supreme and binding duty, without which we cannot be whole as a people and as a state,” the president said
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel’s attack against Iran on Saturday harmed Iran’s defensive capabilities.
The attack was “precise and powerful” and achieved all of its goals, Netanyahu said. He thanked the IDF and IAF, as well as the United States, and reiterated his commitment to the return of all of the hostages under Hamas captivity.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during his speech that “not every goal can be achieved only by military action” and that Israel will need to agree to “painful concessions” in order to bring the hostages home. Still, this was necessary for “the IDF’s legacy, and in the name of the Jewish and national ethos.” Gallant said that this was his responsibility as defense minister – and that just as he was responsible for the significant gains, so too for the “failures” and the “heavy price.”
The day of mourning was held to mark the Hebrew date of the Hamas massacre, which occurred on the Simchat Torah holiday. The ceremony was the first of two national ceremonies scheduled on Sunday, with the second being a ceremony for the fallen civilians on October 7, also at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
Some family members of hostages and even government ministers questioned the necessity of a National Day of Mourning after a similar day had been held on October 7. In any case, the decision was pertinent only to the one-year commemoration, as the Knesset is preparing legislation for permanent commemoration that will apply from 2025 onwards.
