Defense Minister Yoav Gallant arrived to meet IDF engineering and armor recruits at the Meitav Induction Center in Tel Hashomer, where he addressed the IDF's readiness to attack in Rafah, as well as any future hostage deal with Hamas.
"What is happening now in the Gaza Strip, this is something without precedent: the IDF eliminated 4 of the five brigades of Hamas. In the nothern Strip, in Gaza City, in the central camps, and in Khan Yunis. We are preparing for the continuation. We removed forces, are organizing and preparing. We will also reach Rafah, and solve the problem of the military force there."
Hostage deal? "We're willing to pay a price"
"At the same time, we have a supreme obligation to bring our hostages home. The operational conditions the IDF created via unending pressure on Hamas, this is the position of power from which we arrive at this campaign, and it allows us flexibility and freedom of action. And also hard decision - and there will be hard decisions. And we will be willing to pay a price to bring back the hostages. In my view we are precisely at the right point, but there is another party that needs to agree. And then we will return to fighting and do everything we need to."
"Every soldier in the IDF needs to know that when he goes into battle, the whole State of Israel is behind him. And unfortunately there are also costs on the battlefield, but we know to present ourselves in any situation, including in the most difficult conditions. You will learn over time, that there is nothing more important than the comrade next to you in the tank, the AFV, closing with the enemy, and everywhere else."