Press Release from the Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi
14.07.24
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"Good evening, I'm just coming from a meeting with commanders and soldiers of the Shaldag Unit. One of the units of the IDF," which has been operating for nine months in the war that was forced upon us following the murderous attack by Hamas on October 7th. I have seen the actions of the soldiers and commanders of the Shaldag Unit throughout the war and in every arena, and the citizens of Israel should know that there is a generation of exemplary soldiers and commanders whose heroism will be spoken of for many years to come.
We aren't stopping, we are not stopping fighting. We are operating in the entire Gaza Strip with various methods of combat. For about two months, we have been operating in Rafah and achieving significant military achievements. Eliminating more and more terrorists, destroying Hamas' terrorist infrastructure and degrading its capabilities. Yesterday, in a joint operation by the IDF and the ISA, we struck a compound in Khan Yunis where Mohammed Deif, the Commander of Hamas’ Military Wing, was hiding - the man who planned and gave the order for the attack on October 7th; Next to him, Rafa'a Salameh, Commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade and with them other terrorists and accomplices. This strike is the result of an operational capability that we have built, which combines the advanced intelligence capabilities of the ISA and the Intelligence Directorate (J2) and the very high quality planning and implementation capabilities of the Israeli Air Force. According to the intelligence available to us at the time of the strike, there were no hostages in the compound. According to the information that emerged after the strike, no hostages were harmed in the strike. It is very important for me to emphasize this.
It is still too early to conclude the results of the strike, which Hamas is trying to hide. We are determined to continue and pursue senior Hamas officials, those who planned and carried out the October 7th Massacre and dedicated their lives to the murder of innocent civilians. Mohammed Deif was afraid to die, so he hid in a way that even damaged his ability to command. He hid and sacrificed with him his people and civilians who were in the area, who were in danger, very few of whom were harmed. We found him, we will also find those next in line.
These eliminations are one part of the continuous and changing military pressure that the IDF is applying in all parts of the Gaza Strip. Every day there are many Hamas casualties, ground forces that bravely attack, pilots that strike with high quality and precision, rescuing wounded from the ground, while employing various operational tactics. They are all supported by high-quality and up-to-date intelligence. This is important for the systematic dismantling of the Hamas terrorist organization; it is also very important for the creation of the conditions for an agreement to return the hostages. An agreement for the return of the hostages is an urgent moral imperative to save lives. The IDF is generating all the pressure required to create the best conditions for such an agreement, and this is how we have been operating since the end of the previous agreement. The IDF will know how to abide by any agreement that will be approved by the political echelon, and even at the end of a ceasefire, to return and operate again with great strength. The IDF will not stop working to free the hostages, those for whom the time is passing with great difficulty, and we will not give up on continuing to degrade Hamas until we reach that goal, and of course we will not give up on achieving security for the citizens of Israel.
We are in high intensity combat in the north. Along with increasing achievements in degrading Hezbollah, we do not forget for a moment the plight of the residents of the north in the last nine months; We grieve at all times for the dead and injured from Hezbollah attacks. In the last few days, I was in one of the communities close to the border, of course not for the first time. I saw the damage, I met with the leadership there, I heard difficult things from them - we translate this difficulty into determination in combat, and later into real solutions and the return of the residents in security to their homes. We are ready and preparing for the next stage in Lebanon.
These days, along with the continuation of the combat, we are examining the events of October 7th and what led to them. This is a necessary process so that we can learn, correct and mainly so that we can ensure the return of the residents of the south to their homes safely. Last week we presented the inquiry of the battle in Kibbutz Be’eri to the kibbutz members and the bereaved families. There were reasons why we presented this inquiry first- controversial events in this battle that deprived many of sleep. This is a necessary step in building the renewed trust between the IDF and the southern communities, and it involves a true, incisive, and professional inquiry, as we have done.
The findings of the inquiry are difficult and painful. Alongside them we found many displays of heroism and courage of many residents, soldiers and commanders, who protected the people of the kibbutz with their bodies, while sacrificing their own lives without end. I have nothing but enormous appreciation for the soldiers who fought on October 7th. I salute them and the bravery they displayed during long hours of fighting, in very difficult conditions and facing huge complexities. In the midst of such complex combat, mistakes were made, decisions were made some of them fatal, from which we learn and will continue to learn. It is not possible to act in such a reality without making mistakes. I am very proud to be the commander of those soldiers and commanders.
Every heroic deed they did is theirs; In every mistake they made, I have a part.
There is no aspect of the army's conduct that we will not examine and present to the public as much as we can - this includes the intelligence perceptions, the operational perceptions, the defense response, the decision-making the night before the attack, as well as the conduct of senior IDF officials and my own conduct. All of these are in the process of a deep and thorough inquiry. The claims that someone in the IDF knew what was going to happen that morning and concealed it are completely unfounded. Unfortunately, there is not a soldier or commander in the IDF who knew what was going to happen on the morning of October 7th. The warnings that did exist, we are examining in depth.
The purpose of the operational inquiry is first and foremost for learning and correction, and is not a substitute for an external examination mechanism when it will be appointed. Needless to say, we will fully cooperate with such a mechanism and the operational inquiries will be able to contribute a lot, as was the case in past wars.
When we complete all the inquiries, we will have the overall picture, then we will be able to conclude all the lessons and also personal conclusions.
These are days of war for our existence here and for our future. We don't have the right to stop for a moment, we have the determination and we have the patience."
