The head of the Israel Defense Forces' Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, acknowledged Israel’s failure to protect its citizens on October 7, saying victory will not be complete until all hostages are returned.
Speaking at the official state memorial for Yosef Trumpeldor in Tel Hai, Gordin drew a parallel between early Zionist fighters and today’s soldiers. “The underground fighters, the Haganah, and the Jewish community struggled for Israel’s survival in its early days, just as IDF commanders and soldiers do 105 years after the battle of Tel Hai,” he said.
Reflecting on the events of October 7, he added, “Five hundred twenty-two days ago, on that Black Saturday when we failed in our mission to protect the residents of the Gaza border communities, our forces stood against an enemy seeking our destruction. Victory will not be complete without the return of all the hostages to their families and the return of the residents to their homes.”