Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met the new Golani and Combat Intelligence Collection Corps recruits today (Sunday) at the Tel HaShomer base and and talked about the importance of service. "You are the strongest expression of the IDF's victory. While the terrorists in Gaza are surrendering and handing over their weapons, we are recruiting more and more people for combat service."
During the visit, the minister received an overview of the recruitment data and spoke with the new recruits and their families about the importance of combat service, especially at this time. The Minister of Defense praised the professionals for the increase recorded in the recruitment percentages for combat service in the current recruitment cycle.
"While here you are mobilizing, Hamas is surrendering"
Defense Minister Gallant spoke with the recruits and pointed out to them the cost of the war and the desire to eliminate Hamas. "We have been at war for two months. A bloody war, with heavy prices that we paid, and are still paying every day. The reaction of the public in Israel is simply amazing, and you are the expression of this matter. Everyone charges forward, everyone wants to defeat Hamas and understands why. And they also do it personally, that when there is danger, everyone charges towards the danger to stop it."
According to him, "On Saturday morning, October 7th, IDF soldiers in regular and reserve, on duty and on leave, moved to the front, picked themselves up and ran forward. It didn't prevent everything, but it saved from a much bigger incident, and unfortunately we paid for it at the price of many, many soldiers who were killed in the field. But they prevented the terrorists from reaching Ashkelon, Ashdod, Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva. This is the spirit of the IDF."
He also added that "you are joining a historical path, in which your grandparents have already served, and after that your parents and after that you, and this is what gives life to the country. While you are mobilizing, Hamas surrenders - this is the situation, one after the other."
In conclusion, Gallant said, "The IDF is working very well at this time. You will see it soon, today it seems far away, in a few months you will understand things in a completely different way. Much appreciation, well done for your commitment and carrying the burden. We are mobilizing and Gaza is breaking. The IDF is winning more and more, and you will soon join the magnificent formation called the Israel Defense Forces. And this is the strongest and most optimistic expression, that the people of Israel cannot be broken, we cannot be defeated.
"Even when paying hard prices. So for those who died, for those who continue to live, for the future of all of us - go, do your work, your performance, your tasks, succeed and return home safely."