At an Independence Day award ceremony on Thursday honoring excellence in service in the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, the chief of staff, announced an upcoming escalation in the fighting in Gaza against Hamas, which he said will receive a “decisive blow.”
The IDF, Azmir said at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, “is ready and prepared to [deal Hamas] a decisive blow. We will use all the strength at our disposal, increase the pace of operations, and intensify their power,” he said. “If necessary, we will do so soon with determination and confidence in the righteousness of our path.”
The speech was made at the annual award ceremony for 120 outstanding IDF troops, who received the President’s Award for Excellence on Independence Day.
Alongside “significant achievements” in the war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip that broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, Zamir stated that “we still face challenges: foremost among them, bringing our abducted brothers and sisters back to their homes in the State of Israel.”
Zamir referenced indirectly the issue of service by Haredi men in the IDF, which a majority of Israeli support. The Haredi parties largely oppose this prospect, despite High Court of Justice rulings that said that the practice of exempting Haredim was illegal.
“The saying that ‘all of Israel are responsible for one another’ expresses not only mutual responsibility but also a deep partnership in destiny,” Zamir said. He added that for the State of Israel, “this idea is essential to its existence and resilience, and no one is exempt from it—not individuals, not groups and not tribes.”
Zamir praised the perseverance and sacrifices of troops from diverse backgrounds during what he called a “long and complex war.”
He shared personal stories of several awardees, including a lone soldier, Dorian, who made aliyah two years ago and, despite language barriers, serves in the Intelligence Directorate; and another soldier, Oria, a survivor of the Re’im base attack; as well as a soldier whose grandfather was killed in Gaza, noting their ability to persevere through hardship.
He also acknowledged the role of families, saying that “the roots of all excellence are established in home education.”
