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Israel begins Memorial Day celebrations: “We failed to protect civilians,” laments Chief of the General Staff

Israel has launched a celebration of the memory of the martyrs (Memorial Day in English) this Sunday, taking many of its citizens to military cemeteries tomorrow. Anti-aircraft alarms were sounded for one minute across the country today in memory of the 711 members of the security forces killed since the war began.

The memorial alarm was sounded at 8:00 pm (one hour less in mainland Spain), beginning a minute of silence that stopped both pedestrians and vehicles in the middle of the street in memory of the fallen soldiers.

Hours earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had thanked the army for their work at an event by the Yad Lebanon organization, which was founded by Israeli volunteers to commemorate fallen soldiers. “The bravery of all our soldiers has been on display during these months. “We will all fight together to defeat the demons of Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

During his speech in Jerusalem, the Israeli President remembered the soldiers killed at the hands of Hamas on October 7. About 340 soldiers were killed, in addition to more than 780 civilians, during attacks on Israeli soil. “I hope all the injured people make a full recovery. I visited them in hospitals and heard all their stories. And everyone has told me, even the handicapped, to persevere until victory,” Netanyahu said.

For his part, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has warned that, as long as there are enemies who want to destroy Israel, and although “the Jewish people have always dreamed of peace; “We will not lay down our swords.” Herzog spoke at a Memorial Day event at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

The Israeli President was accompanied by Chief of Staff Mayor Herzi Halevi, who took responsibility for the errors made on October 7 and not stopping the Hamas attacks, which killed 1,200 people. “As Commander of the Armed Forces, I take responsibility because we failed in our mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel on October 7. “I feel the weight of that on my shoulders every day,” he said.

Tomorrow, on Monday, a ceremony reading the names of the fallen soldiers will take place at Israel’s National Hall of the Fallen on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, with Prime Minister President Herzog and Defense Minister Yoav Galant, among other officials, attending.

A siren will also sound at 11:00, after which state commemoration ceremonies will begin at 54 military cemeteries and memorial sites such as schools and community centers across the country. An air display over the military cemetery on Mount Herzl will begin at 11:02. (efe)