National Unity Party chairman Minister Benny Gantz said on Wednesday evening that it is important to continue striving to achieve the goals of the war while maintaining unity at the same time.
"The fighting continues, and the goals of the war remain in effect. They have not changed, and it would be wrong to change them. The first goal is the return of the hostages and it has priority in the timeline. These efforts do not stop, including active Israeli initiatives all the time, against many factors. The utmost and long-term goal is the change of reality in the south. We have not moved and we will not move away from both goals. It will take as long as it takes," Gantz said.
He added, "In order to achieve the goals of the war, it is necessary to constantly adjust the method of operation, the intensity of the operation and the areas of operation. This is true in Gaza and it is true in the other arenas as well. The IDF operates this way, and will continue to operate in the future."
Gantz also commented on the conduct surrounding the transfer of medicines through the Kerem Shalom crossing to Gaza. "Regarding the transfer of the medicines to the hostages, I would like to emphasize that the decision, as well as the responsibility for it, as is the case with all developments in the combat arena, rests with the political echelon. That's the way it was, that's the way it will continue to be."
The minister also commented on the discourse surrounding the return of the residents of the south and north to their homes. "Yesterday, all the members of the War Cabinet met with the heads of the authorities in the south, and next week we will also meet with the heads of the authorities in the north. The State of Israel owes a huge debt to its residents, and returning them home safely is a national task of the highest order. We agreed with them that progress would be made in the processes that will make this possible - both in the security aspect and in the civil aspect. When the return to the towns occurs, it will be done with security approval and in coordination between the authorities and the government."
He reiterated his opposition to the budget which was approved by the government. "This meeting once again sharpened for me the huge gap between the budget that the State of Israel needs, and the budget that was passed by the government. A budget that should be directed first of all to the needs of the war and the residents in the south and the north. The most important thing at this time is that we, as elected officials, set a personal example for the public. This is true for the budget - But it is important mainly in our conduct. The saying ‘we will win together’ must remain in force."
"True, there are different approaches to the ways to deal with the tremendous challenges in front of us. There must be a dialogue - in the government, in the cabinet, and in society. But we must not forget even for a second who our enemies are, why they came out to attack us and for what. In order for us to truly win, we must win together. When we say ‘we will win together’, we must remember - that victory begins with the fighting spirit of the soldiers. With volunteerism. With what they bring with them to the battlefield," he said.
Finally, he spoke about the importance of unity, saying, "I am very disturbed by the voices that have been sounded in recent days, and call on the entire political echelon to come together for a respectful and unifying discourse. Even when there are differences of opinion. We do not have a mandate to split the people, especially at this time. We have a moral and historical obligation - to stay together, and win."