Visibly moved IDF spokesman says Gaza ceasefire is ’emotional moment’ for all of Israel

In a tearful statement at a press conference, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip “is an emotional moment for the people of Israel and for the IDF troops and soldiers who have fought and acted over the past two years with courage, bravery, and out of a sense of mission and dedication.”

Defrin shows the IDF’s current deployment in the Gaza Strip as part of the deal, and says that troops “will act to eliminate any threat to their security, no risks will be taken.”

“We will do everything possible to protect the security of the residents of the western Negev, the south and the entire country,” he says.

“On the morning of Simchat Torah, about two years ago, on October 7, the most important contract with the citizens of Israel was violated. We weren’t there for Israeli citizens at their most difficult time,” Defrin says.

“Since then, under the leadership of the Southern Command, along with all wings and directorates of the IDF, we have not stopped for a moment, and we never will. A brave generation of Israel’s heroes stands firm as a barrier between the citizens of Israel and every enemy,” he says.

Asked whether Hamas still poses a threat to Israel, Defrin says: “Hamas today is not the Hamas of two years ago; Hamas has been defeated everywhere we fought it.”