Preparations for Memorial Day at Israel's military cemeteries
The State of Israel is preparing to remember its fallen sons and daughters: The Israeli Ministry of Defense on Thursday published the number of Israeli service members killed in action from 1860 to the present, which stands at 25,644.
Since last Memorial Day, 170 fallen soldiers were added, along with another 54 disabled veterans who passed due to their disability and were recognized as fallen soldiers over the year.
The numbers reflect the heavy price of the ongoing war, with 7,165 individuals becoming bereaved family members since October 2023. At present, 59,583 bereaved family members are living in Israel, 8,420 of them are bereaved parents, 4,872 are widows or widowers, and 14,430 are orphans.
Due to the complex security situation, the Defense Ministry and the Families and Commemoration Department are preparing to hold ceremonies under restrictions. The ceremonies at military cemeteries will be held subject to Home Front Command guidelines, which will be updated closer to the date.
Arieh Moalem, Deputy Director General and head of the Families, Commemoration and Heritage Division at the Ministry of Defense, addressed the special preparations: “We are completing the preparations with a desire to find the right balance between the sanctity of Memorial Day and the sanctity of life. The memory of the fallen is a foundation of our unity, a national compass, and an eternal flame. Our commitment is to keep it alive and pass on the legacy of sacrifice from generation to generation."