Today (Thursday), IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted a field tour in the Gaza Strip alongside Southern Command Commander Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, Head of Operations Directorate Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, 36th Division Commander Brig. Gen. Moran Omer, Commander of the Kfir Brigade, Col. A, and additional commanders.
During the tour, the Chief of Staff and the Southern Command Commander met with soldiers from the Kfir Brigade and Brigade 188. They held a debriefing at the site of the encounter with Hamas operatives in Khan Yunis, where an attack was thwarted yesterday. The Chief of Staff expressed appreciation for the soldiers' vigilance and swift response, which led to the elimination of most of the terrorists.
The Chief of Staff instructed the commanders to deepen the debriefing of the event, extract lessons, and continue with determined and professional operations.
He stated, "We are in a challenging and intense multi-front war. The Gaza front is our primary focus. We are progressing with efforts for operations in Gaza City. Our objectives remain the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas - we will not rest or stop until we complete them."
The Chief of Staff further added, "We have inflicted a severe blow to Hamas. It was a terror army, and now it is a guerrilla organization. We will continue to strike Hamas everywhere, both domestically and abroad. The thwarted attack here is significant, and I commend you for the way you acted. This event could have ended differently. If you hadn’t been here, this terrorist cell would have reached the settlements."
Continuing his remarks, he emphasized, "Your presence, alongside operational actions, is part of the defense of our communities. You are the shield. We issued tens of thousands of reserve orders yesterday for forces to join. We appreciate the reservists and their families; they are doing sacred work. I’m confident they will stand ready until the mission is completed."
The Chief of Staff concluded that the IDF continues to conduct the fighting in collaboration with the political echelon to present the best options for continuing. "Our struggle is still long, and many challenges lie ahead. The entire people of Israel are looking to you and trust you. We have no other option but victory. The Kfir Brigade will continue to stand firm and bring achievements."