Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi visited the “Decisive Victory” encampment of wounded soldiers near the Knesset on Monday and expressed his support for their campaign.
In his remarks, Davidi conveyed the pain and resilience of Sderot residents, shaped by decades of ongoing terrorism, and called for a decisive and uncompromising victory over Hamas. He also thanked the wounded, noting that thanks to them and their comrades, Sderot residents were able to return home.
“I’m here first and foremost to say thank you,” Davidi began. “There are very special people here, and before anything else, I want to tell you - every house purchased in Sderot, every child growing up in the city, lives with a great sense of gratitude toward you. We live this reality every day. The State of Israel sometimes talks about Gaza from a distance, but we live it up close. 25 years of terrorism, tens of thousands of rockets, injuries, deaths—and it all continued until that terrible day of October 7, which underscored the depth of the failure and hardship.”
He stressed that residents returned to Sderot during the war not only out of love for their city, but also with expectations from the state. “We returned in March 2024, not only out of great love for the city and the country, but with a debt - the State of Israel owes us two things: to bring back the hostages and to fundamentally change the security reality. No deal and no withdrawal will achieve that. Anyone imagining a deal with Hamas, or believing that the organization will continue to rule without uniforms, simply doesn’t understand the reality.”
Marking 20 years since the Disengagement from Gaza, Davidi sharply criticized its architects. “This is a week of remembrance for terrible foolishness. They promised us security and a new Middle East, and we got rockets and terrorists in the streets. The same voices that continue to argue we can’t defeat Hamas are the very ones who supported the Disengagement. We must defeat Hamas. This isn’t about right or left - it’s our duty to those who fell and were wounded, to those who fought and continue to fight.”
Concluding his remarks, Davidi addressed the wounded and the broader public: “We love you. Every breath we take in Sderot is accompanied by gratitude for the sacrifice you made. I call on everyone to join the march on Wednesday, starting from Shaare Zedek at 5:00 p.m., to make a clear statement: The people of Israel will win. We are part of history, and we will be part of the victory.”
The remarks were made as part of the protest encampment established by war-wounded IDF veterans near the Knesset. The encampment, which is expected to operate until Wednesday, includes participation from hostage families, bereaved families, active and former fighters, and various public figures.
Upon setting up the encampment, the wounded issued a statement calling on Israel’s leadership to bring the war to a clear conclusion. “We say clearly: The war in Gaza must end with a victory over Hamas. If you’re incapable of delivering a decisive outcome - go home,” they declared.