In the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Chief of Staff Halevi held a situation assessment in Khan Younis and met with the commanders involved in the hostage rescue operation. The meeting was attended by Southern Command Chief Major General Yaron Finkelman, Division Commander Brigadier General Dan Goldfus, and brigade commanders.
Halevi acknowledged the complexity of the mission, stating, "Thirty hours to retrieve the bodies from beneath the ground, from a hidden location, behind a tunnel, behind fortifications—these are very complicated matters, and you are doing it in a manner that truly deserves great appreciation." He added, "We had been near these bodies before, but we did not know how to reach them. Now we knew how to reach them, and we extended our hand."
He further noted, "We brought back five bodies that otherwise we might never have recovered." Halevi emphasized the importance of bringing hostages back alive, stating that this requires applying pressure, killing Hamas commanders, and neutralizing Hamas operatives. "The hostage release agreement, which we are pressing to achieve under favourable conditions, is a top priority. It is a defined war objective, and we do not need anyone to define it for us. It is a fundamental ethical issue."
In conclusion, Halevi committed, "We will not rest until we return the hostages. And we will not rest until we dismantle the last battalion, the last company, and work very hard. We are constantly thinking about how to advance the pressure forward."
