From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Gallant: Israel is committed to bringing all the hostages home from Gaza
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Speaking at a memorial ceremony for Israel’s fallen soldiers whose final resting place is unknown, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel is committed to bringing the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip back home.
“This commitment, to leave no one behind, is true for the war we are fighting today and will be true for all of Israel’s wars,” Gallant says.
“Along with 112 living hostages who were returned in agreements and operational activities, IDF troops and Shin Bet personnel also returned 11 slain [hostages] to be buried in Israel,” he says.
“As we operated throughout the war, the defense establishment under my leadership… is obligated to exhaust every possibility and are ready to take advantage of every opportunity, including the current one, to return the hostages to their families,” Gallant adds.
