November 7, 2023
Statement of the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, MG
Yaron Finkelman
Yaron Finkelman
"A month ago, in a shocking murderous massacre, Hamas attacked and hit us hard. On that terrible day, we did not fulfill our mission. These difficult events are burned into us. Burnt into me, to a great extent, and more will be required in their depth. Until then, war. Our goals are clear: the dismantling of the Hamas terrorist organization and creating the conditions to bring the hostages home.
For a month, the Southern Command has been fighting non-stop in the Gaza Strip. From the air, the sea, and with significant operations on land. Our actions strike the core of Hamas' capabilities. We eliminated dozens of commanders. We uncovered many terror tunnels. And we hit the enemy hard. We are working in excellent coordination with all the IDF’s branches and bodies.
Intelligence, air, sea, and with the ISA. The hostages being held captive by Hamas are constantly in our thoughts. Their return is a compass for us. On the battlefield of this war, I meet the men and women, soldiers in mandatory service and reservists, officers and soldiers from all walks of Israeli society, led by commanders always leading from the front.
In all the IDF commanders I see courage, initiative, brothers in arms, and, above all, the adherence to the mission and the pursuit of victory. The spirit of the IDF flows through this generation of soldiers and commanders.
As I said at the beginning of the ground operations, this generation is the generation of victory. We are fighting at this very hour in significant centers of the Gaza Strip. I have just returned from there. For the first time in a decade, the IDF is fighting in the heart of Gaza City. In the heart of terror. This is a complex and difficult war, and unfortunately, it has costs. Today, at this very hour, our soldiers are eliminating terrorists, discovering tunnels, destroying weapons and continuing to advance into the center of the enemy. We are continuing with all our strength in order to defeat the despicable Hamas terrorist organization. The fighting spirit that gives us strength comes from the people of Israel. We will not rest, we will not stop and we will not be silent until our mission is complete. Until we are victorious."
For a month, the Southern Command has been fighting non-stop in the Gaza Strip. From the air, the sea, and with significant operations on land. Our actions strike the core of Hamas' capabilities. We eliminated dozens of commanders. We uncovered many terror tunnels. And we hit the enemy hard. We are working in excellent coordination with all the IDF’s branches and bodies.
Intelligence, air, sea, and with the ISA. The hostages being held captive by Hamas are constantly in our thoughts. Their return is a compass for us. On the battlefield of this war, I meet the men and women, soldiers in mandatory service and reservists, officers and soldiers from all walks of Israeli society, led by commanders always leading from the front.
In all the IDF commanders I see courage, initiative, brothers in arms, and, above all, the adherence to the mission and the pursuit of victory. The spirit of the IDF flows through this generation of soldiers and commanders.
As I said at the beginning of the ground operations, this generation is the generation of victory. We are fighting at this very hour in significant centers of the Gaza Strip. I have just returned from there. For the first time in a decade, the IDF is fighting in the heart of Gaza City. In the heart of terror. This is a complex and difficult war, and unfortunately, it has costs. Today, at this very hour, our soldiers are eliminating terrorists, discovering tunnels, destroying weapons and continuing to advance into the center of the enemy. We are continuing with all our strength in order to defeat the despicable Hamas terrorist organization. The fighting spirit that gives us strength comes from the people of Israel. We will not rest, we will not stop and we will not be silent until our mission is complete. Until we are victorious."
 |  |  |  |  |  |