Defense Minister Yoav Gallant participated this morning in a special discussion of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which took place in his office in HaKirya. During the debate, Gallant reviewed before the members of the Knesset the activities of the IDF forces in the various combat sectors, with an emphasis on the progress of the fighting in the Gaza Strip according to the stages of the fighting.
In his words, Gallant emphasized to the members of the committee that we have a long fight ahead of us in which national determination and a firm stand by the Israeli public is required. "We are in a multi-arena war, we are under attack from seven different sectors - Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran," he said. "We have already responded and acted in six of these decrees, and I say here in the most explicit way - anyone who acts against us is a potential target, there is no immunity for anyone."
The minister clarified that "the State of Israel will know what to do, the security system is being prepared, the reality in which we are attacked and we are restrained, is correct according to our judgment and everyone sees and understands the results in Gaza, those who see them in particular are Hamas, Iran and Hezbollah."
"I want to tell you that this is a long, difficult war, it has prices, heavy prices, but its justification is the highest it can be," he added. "We were brutally and barbarically attacked in order to deter us from living here. We must make it clear that anyone who makes a move of this type will be judged decisively. Whether it takes months or whether it takes years, this matter must be ended. Without meeting the goals of the war, we are in a situation where the problem No matter who lives around Gaza or who lives in the north, the problem will be that people will not want to live in a place where we do not know how to protect them."
"The Foreign and Security Committee represents the entire public, I act on behalf of the entire public, that's how the considerations are determined. Hundreds of thousands of regular and reserve people are serving in the IDF right now who come from all levels of Israeli society - Jews and non-Jews of all shades and from all directions, unfortunately the prices also look like this".
"We need determination, endurance, national strength, and adherence to goals. This is a battle in which the one who survives is the one who is stronger on a national level, in his values, in his unity," Gallant concluded. "This is a battle of national determination and I tell you that we will defeat Hamas. They did not think where they were leading themselves, we will defeat them and cripple them and the whole surroundings will also understand this matter."
Edelstein: "I will insist that the state take care of the reservists"
The chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Yuli Edelstein, said: "This morning we held another discussion, here in HaKirya, with the participation of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. As the fighting progresses, we are increasingly converging on the transition between the second phase of combat and the third phase. As we said, the Minister of Defense And I, are already at the beginning - it will be a long campaign and we must be prepared for it, in all its aspects. Now, we are facing a situation in which the reservists may lose economic rights as a result of the government's unpreparedness regarding the law on postponing deadlines and additional benefits. This law has significant constitutional and economic consequences."
"Our dear reservists have mobilized and enlisted to defend their homeland and homes without hesitation and as chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee I will insist that the state know how to reward and take care of them," Edelstein pledged. Our soldiers should be focused only on fighting and know that the country protects them as they protect it."
"I spoke this morning with the Minister of Defense on the issue and we are working together to promote a solution as soon as possible. We both agree on the importance and necessity of creating the right envelope for the reservists and the families of the evacuees.
I hope that in the coming days, we will bring an adequate and correct solution," he concluded. "I thank the Minister of Defense for the broad and important review. The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will continue to monitor and supervise the actions required to achieve the goals: the elimination of Hamas and its capabilities and the return of all the abductees home."