Netanyahu reiterates vow to fight Hamas as Israel honors war dead

JERUSALEM — Israel’s leaders commemorated Memorial Day on Monday, honoring the country’s fallen soldiers and those killed in attacks on a holiday that was almost entirely absorbed by the ongoing war in Gaza.

The usually somber calendar event has been compounded by sadness and simmering public anger over the failures of Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists from Gaza broke into southern Israel and killed 1,200 people, mostly Israelis, the act that sparked the war. The holiday began Sunday evening and lasts until nightfall on Monday.

During the day’s opening ceremony at Mount Herzl cemetery on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed once again to defeat Hamas, a promise he has made repeatedly during Israel’s seven-month war with the terrorist group.

“We are determined to win this struggle, we exacted and will exact a high price from the enemy for their criminal acts, we will realize the goals of victory and at the center of them the return of all our hostages home,” Netanyahu said from the podium.

Thousands of Israelis have been rallying every week in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, calling for Netanyahu to step down. Many believe he should be doing more to secure the release of dozens of hostages captured by Hamas terrorists.

“We are constantly working to bring everyone back, the living and the fallen alike, to bring everyone back home. We have already returned about half of them, and we will return them all,” Netanyahu said.

Israel responded to Hamas’ deadly October assault by bombarding and invading Gaza, killing more 35,000 Palestinians from the enclave, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

More than 600 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war erupted.

Netanyahu has rejected Hamas’ demand for an end to the war, saying it would allow the group to remain in control of Gaza and eventually launch another Oct. 7-style attack.

Among the other attendees at Mount Herzl was the Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

At 11 A.M. on Monday, sirens announced two minutes of silence, and a formation of four fighter planes then flew over Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.