Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant recently completed a visit to the Hatzerim airbase, where he observed IDF preparations to absorb the hostages who will return to Israel on Friday.
Minister Gallant discussed the preparations with the teams who will meet the hostages, and expressed his appreciation for their professionalism and sensitive approach in preparing for this operation.
“[Israeli] hostages have been held in Gaza for 49 days - among them children, young men and women, soldiers, elderly individuals and even Holocaust survivors. We will do everything to bring them back, and to care for those who are coming back during the first phase,” he said.
“Remember that we will keep fighting, we will do everything necessary to bring back the hostages - including those who were not included in this operation,” added Gallant.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)