Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the state memorial ceremony for the October 7 massacre at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon, marking three years since the Hamas attack.
Opening his remarks, Netanyahu addressed the bereaved families and said that he and his wife, Sara, stood alongside them in their grief.
“Your grief is the nation’s grief. I know what a void has been torn within you," Netanyahu said. “Everything reminds us of our loved ones: The empty chair at the table. A favorite food. A touching song. We will cherish the memory of each and every one of the fallen."
“In their name and for their sake, we will continue to strike our enemies, unceasingly strengthen our state, and build our homeland from generation to generation," he added.
Netanyahu spoke about Karin Journo, who was 24 when she attended the Nova festival on October 7 and was murdered during the Hamas attack.
The Prime Minister recalled meeting Karin’s father, Doron Journo, at Ben-Gurion Airport several weeks ago. According to Netanyahu, Journo told him: “All that is left of my Karin is three teeth. The terrorists burned her. That is what is left for me."
Netanyahu said Journo then told him: “Prime Minister, finish the mission. Finish the mission in the Gaza Strip."
“I hugged him, and promised him: ‘This is my commitment. We will finish the mission. And I want you to know - every day we are completing it,’" Netanyahu said.
“We will never reconcile with this horrific crime, and precisely for that reason - we will complete the mission," he continued. “We will settle accounts with those who dispatched and carried out the horrific massacre in our towns, our kibbutzim, our cities."
Netanyahu said there would be “no forgiveness" for those responsible for the murders, abuse, arson, destruction, looting and kidnappings carried out during the attack.
“We brought home all of our hostages who were held in the tunnels of Gaza, but this is not the end of the story," he said. “We are hunting without letup the human-beasts who attacked us with shocking cruelty, and those who held the hostages with shocking cruelty."
“We will eradicate Hamas’s regime of blood. We will destroy it," he declared.
The Prime Minister said that during the October 7 attack, Israelis responded by fighting to defend their homes.
“From the abysses of the fracture, the forces of our life burst forth," Netanyahu said. “In the most difficult moments, our heroes did not hesitate - they leaped into the fire. Soldiers, female soldiers. Policemen and policewomen. Security personnel. And no less than that - citizens imbued with mutual responsibility, who acted to rescue, to save, to deliver."
He said Israel’s enemies quickly realized that the country would respond forcefully.
“Our iron fist strikes everyone who has raised a hand against us," Netanyahu said, adding that Israel was not only defending itself but also the free world.
Netanyahu also addressed accusations made against Israel abroad, saying: “Lie follows lie. Libel follows libel, and we must fight it."
He cited Sabin Tassa of Netiv HaAsara, whose husband was murdered in front of her children and who also lost a son at Zikim Beach. Netanyahu described Tassa’s appearance at a screening in the Netherlands of the film “Naza," where she stood before the audience and said: “Here is the truth. Here is the truth. I am the truth."
“To stand like that, the way Sabin Tassa stood there, is heroism," Netanyahu said. “She is fighting heroically for truth and justice. I salute you, Sabin; the entire nation salutes you."
“We will continue to struggle for the truth - and the truth will prevail. Good will prevail - Israel will prevail," he added.
Netanyahu also spoke of his family’s personal connection to the massacre, recounting the story of 25-year-old Jonathan Azulay, who attended the Nova festival.
Netanyahu said Azulay’s father, Yaakov, was his wife Sara’s personal driver, while his mother, Linda, is the sister of Netanyahu’s longtime driver, Eli Elouz. Netanyahu recalled that he had served as sandak at Jonathan’s brit milah after the family named him after Netanyahu’s brother Yoni.
“At 7:00 in the morning, on October 7, his mother Linda received a call from Jonathan," Netanyahu said. “He was inside a shelter, terrorists were outside, he fought them to save his partner, and a few minutes later the sound of an explosion was heard. Jonathan was killed by the grenade but managed to save his partner."
Netanyahu said the many acts of heroism during the massacre created what he called a “supreme command" not only to fight Israel’s enemies but also to rebuild.
“We are vigorously rehabilitating the Western Negev, the communities, the cities, the kibbutzim," he said. “We do not forget the pain, we remember the pain, and we build."
“Thus it is in the south - and thus it is and will be in the north as well. In place of destruction - building. In place of falling - revival," Netanyahu said.
Concluding his remarks, Netanyahu quoted the prophet Isaiah: “To give them beauty instead of ashes."
“Terrorism will not extinguish the eternal light of our nation - the light of our loved ones who were murdered," he said. “By their light, we will persevere on the path. We will persevere in reaching out a hand to one another. We will persevere in marching forward - for the future of the nation and the State."
“With God’s help, the victims of hostile acts will always be part of our national journey toward revival, hope, and victory. May their memory be blessed."
During the speech, the father of Tom Godo disrupted Netanyahu’s remarks, shouting: “You didn't protect my son on October 7th; you didn't protect 1,200 victims murdered in one day. Shame, disgrace. Insolent," prompting Netanyahu to pause for several seconds before continuing. Godo was killed on October 8, 2023, by friendly fire from IDF soldiers who entered his family’s home in Kibbutz Kissufim during efforts to rescue residents.