President Herzog: I hear a cry for unity from bereaved families 

President Isaac Herzog spoke today (Monday) at the 22nd Conference of the Besheva media group, where he repeated his call for returning every last hostage from Hamas captivity.

Here is the full speech:

First, it must be said that we are in a very historic period for the people of Israel, and during this time, we are committed to continue strengthening the people of Israel against the threats around us and the difficult war, to embrace and strengthen the bereaved families who have paid an enormous price for our independence, our resurgence, our victory, and to work towards bringing our sons and daughters home.

Michal and I have met with over a thousand bereaved families this year, and the people of Israel are an amazing, diverse, fascinating people, and each family has its own story - I bow my head every day.

The main issue that occupies us as a national collective is the matter of the hostages. The pain is immense, and I know that all of Israel was in true, national mourning when we learned of the brutal murder of the Bibas family members and Oded Lifshitz, and in the same breath, we hope and are moved and cry and rejoice to see hostages returning home - they are our brothers and sisters.

I think we need to bring everyone home and make every effort to complete their return home and all the necessary processes to bring back every last one of them.

I hold intimate and personal conversations both with returned hostages and with families of those who are still there, and as far as I'm concerned, the commandment of redeeming captives here is a supreme commandment that reflects the highest covenant between the state and its citizens.

I hear from the bereaved families a genuine cry for unity and dialogue and mutual respect for understanding the other, and from the families of hostages, the most justified cry and call for their return home.