Netanyahu: Out of indescribable sorrow of Oct. 7 came great inner strength

October 7 was a day of indescribable sorrow for the country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says in a video statement at the state memorial ceremony, but “we were not defeated.”

“And as has happened time and again in Israel’s history, it is precisely in moments of difficulty that great inner strength emerges.”

“We stood together for the defense of our country, for the defense of our homeland,” says Netanyahu in the pre-recorded message. “We have mobilized enormous spiritual power. We have defined the goals of the war and we are achieving them: toppling the rule of Hamas; bringing all our hostages home, both alive and dead, is a sacred mission that we will not let go of until we achieve it; thwarting any future threat from Gaza to Israel; and returning the residents of the south and the north safely to their homes.”

Israel fights, says Netanyahu, “to bring light to the world, a people who strive to spread good and eradicate evil.”

“As long as the enemy threatens our existence and the peace of our country — we will continue to fight. As long as there are kidnapped in Gaza — we will continue to fight. We will not give up any of them. I will not give up. As long as our citizens do not return to their homes safely — we will continue to fight.”

When Israel wins, says Netanyahu, “not only for our sake, but for the sake of future generations and for the sake of all humanity — we will rebuild the revived regions on a much larger scale. Holding onto the root will regrow the tree of life.”

“October 7 will symbolize for generations the price of our revival, and it will express for generations the magnitude of our determination and the strength of our spirit,” continues Netanyahu.

“Together we will continue to fight, and together — with God’s grace — we will win.”