A day after taking office, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir addressed soldiers in his first official order on Thursday, acknowledging the challenges ahead while emphasizing resilience, duty and ultimate victory.
“The IDF did not fulfill its mission on Oct. 7, [2023]. We will not hide or cover this up,” said Zamir while praising the military’s response: “Out of the depths, our people rose, our army stood, and you fought back with full force.”
He vowed to “strike a decisive blow” against those who attacked Israel and committed atrocities, pledging, “We shall not return until they are destroyed, and we will not rest until our brothers are brought back from the tunnels of captivity.”
Zamir honored slain soldiers and their families, stressing that “behind each name on the IDF memorial wall lies an entire world.” He also praised his predecessor, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, for his leadership during “the IDF’s longest war.”
Looking ahead, he urged determination: “There will be difficult days, but also better ones. A remarkable people, filled with tears and hope, looks to us. Our actions will speak for themselves!”
Zamir assumed the role of the IDF’s 24th chief of staff on Wednesday in a ceremony at military headquarters in Tel Aviv with the participation of Halevi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), was also in attendance.
“The mission is clear: to lead the IDF to victory. Hamas has not yet been defeated,” Zamir said in a solemn address, emphasizing the gravity of his responsibilities.
He pledged to prioritize the return of all the hostages being held by terrorists in Gaza, saying, “We must bring our people home, by any means necessary.” He affirmed his commitment to defending Israel and uniting its citizens.
“The Jewish people are the people of the book, the people of the Torah—but also of action. I call on all parts of Israeli society to participate in the commandment of defending the homeland,” Zamir said.
Following the change-of-command ceremony, Zamir and Halevi headed to Jerusalem for a joint visit to the Western Wall. The two men then visited with President Isaac Herzog at his official residence in the capital. The commanders later visited the National Memorial Hall for Israel’s Fallen on Mount Herzl, where they lit a memorial candle and laid a wreath in honor of Israel’s fallen soldiers.
Previously the director general of the Israeli Defense Ministry, Zamir, 59, born and raised in Eilat, is the first IDF chief to come out of the Armored Corps since David (“Dado”) Elazar in the 1970s.
Zamir served as deputy chief of staff (2018-2021). Before that, he led the IDF Southern Command (2015-18).
During that time, he helped formulate war plans focused on Hamas and contemplated scenarios in which the terrorist faction might be replaced in Gaza, though these plans were not updated by subsequent Southern Command leaders.
While at the helm of the defense ministry, Zamir spearheaded efforts over the past year to greatly ramp up domestic weapons production to reduce reliance on imports, working with local defense companies.
Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai assumed the role of Zamir’s deputy during a brief handover ceremony in Tel Aviv on Thursday. He replaced Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, whom Defense Minister Israel Katz chose to be the next director-general of his ministry.
