As the State of Israel marks Memorial Day for Israel’s Fallen and Victims of Terror, Minister Gallant highlighted the troops who fought courageously in the face of the Hamas invasion on October 7th and in the battles that followed, the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists, and the innocent civilians who were brutally murdered on the day of the attack.
Minister Gallant also discussed developments in Gaza, including IDF operations across the strip in the face of terror hotspots, and the precise operation in the Rafah area against remaining Hamas battalions, while securing the crossing.
In addition, the Defense Minister stressed the commitment of the State of Israel to continue operating in order to achieve the goals of the war - the release of 132 hostages held by Hamas terrorists, and the destruction of Hamas as a military and governing authority.
Gallant expressed his appreciation to Secretary Blinken for the ongoing support provided by the US Administration for Israel’s security.
Early Monday morning, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Blinken "affirmed the ironclad US commitment to Israel’s security and the shared objective of the defeat of Hamas" and the two "discussed the situation in Gaza and ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages."
"The Secretary reaffirmed the US opposition to a major military ground operation in Rafah, where over one million people have taken shelter," Miller added.
Blinken "underscored the urgent need to protect civilians and aid workers in Gaza and urged the Minister to ensure assistance can move into Gaza and help address distribution challenges inside of Gaza as Israel pursues Hamas targets," the statement concluded.