The state memorial ceremony for IDF soldiers and members of the security forces who fell in the Swords of Iron War is being held Monday morning at the Great Leaders of the Nation section of Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
The ceremony, which began at 11:00 a.m., is being held three years after the October 7 massacre and the outbreak of the war. Among those attending are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and Supreme Court President Justice Isaac Amit.
At 2:00 p.m., a separate state ceremony will be held at Mount Herzl, marking the October 7 massacre and heroism. The Prime Minister is expected to attend.
President Isaac Herzog referred in his speech to the female IDF observers who had warned about Hamas’s growing strength and preparations, saying: “They felt that something was happening in the sector. They saw. They reported. They raised the alarm. But no one put it all together into a complete picture. Many months before the disaster, on the wall of the protected shelter at the outpost, they wrote various messages, some serious and some humorous. One of them was written with a cynical, clear-eyed perspective. In hindsight, the words take on a chilling meaning. They capture the story of an entire country - the story of Israel on the eve of the war. And this is what they wrote in prominent pink letters: ‘Look how calmly she walks, as though Gaza weren’t right next to her.’"
During his speech, the President called for an investigation into the failures that led to the brutal massacre.
“All of this obligates us to investigate with determination and courage, without fear or favor, and to understand - how did this happen to us?! No amount of time that passes permits us to obscure this obligation. There are clear conclusions that we already know we must internalize: We must not ignore warnings or troubling signs. And we must also look directly at what is happening to us here at home, within our own society.
“In these days, in the midst of the election campaign, we must look at and recognize the glaring warning lights - those signaling dangerous divisions and deep polarization. Of course we are allowed to disagree, and we even have an obligation to debate - about important matters, about the great questions. But we must remember: The person who disagrees with you today will still be living here with you tomorrow. Their children will grow up in the same country as your children. They will be called upon to protect it - together - and to build its future - together."
Prime Minister Netanyahu centered his remarks on Israel’s response since October 7 and the sacrifices made by soldiers fighting on multiple fronts. He highlighted the weakening of Israel’s enemies and presented the war as a struggle for the country’s survival and long-term security.
Netanyahu also stressed that Hamas must not regain control of Gaza and that Israel must retain the ability to prevent another October 7.