IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi spoke at the state Memorial Day ceremony at the Western Wall plaza, saying: 'We are in a multi-front war for Israel's very existence. Our enemies seek to eliminate the Zionist idea and deny our right to live here.' He stated, 'Our enemies miscalculated our response. Similarly, Hamas is mistaken about our determination to return the hostages and defeat it. These two missions are interlinked. We will continue and intensify our operations until we complete both.' The Chief of Staff added: 'The IDF is committed to fulfilling its missions, and at this time, more than ever, we need everyone. This is both an operational necessity and a national need for equality and shared destiny.'