This is a very significant day in your life and in the life of the state. The state exists thanks to our ability to defend ourselves. These attacks have not ceased since we established the state; this has been the fate of the Jewish people for hundreds and even thousands of years. What has changed with the establishment of the state is our ability to repel these attacks, sometimes at a very heavy cost, but with a strength that the entire world understands, we may not always like, but we know that without it we would not exist.

This is what you are doing here today in the various units, brigades and corps. We are, in effect, defending the existence of our state, which is also the personal existence of each and every one of you, your families, your friends and also the coming generations. This is no exaggeration or lofty words. These are very precise words; this is what will determine if our state exists.

The most prominent thing that we have seen in the six months since the outbreak of the war is the immense increase in the motivation of the young people, the desire to enlist, defend and fight, both young men and young women. We have never seen such a thing. This attests to the power of life in our people. I think that you deserve all praise as well as the understanding that you are – in effect – doing something of historic significance.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu added, about the fighting in the Gaza Strip [translated from Hebrew]:

“We will complete the elimination of Hamas’s battalions, including in Rafah. No force in the world will stop us. There are many forces trying to do this but it will not help because this enemy, after what it has done, will not do this again. Nor will it exist. We are committed to doing this, and each one of you now, at this base, will contribute in one way or another to completing the goal. That must be it. After doing such a thing to our country – it will not be done any more.

We have three objectives: One – to return our hostages, all of the field observers, and not just them, but everyone together. We will return them all. The second objective: Eliminating Hamas. The third objective: To ensure that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to Israel.

There is a fourth objective: Hamas is part of Iran’s axis of evil, which aims to destroy us. And when we defeat Hamas, it is not only defeating Hamas – it is defeating the axis. Everyone in the Middle East and beyond is sitting in the stands and watching who will win on this field, Israel or Iran and its proxies. You already know who will win. Good luck!”

Also participating in the visit were the Prime Minister’s Chief-of-Staff, the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary, the Head of the IDF Personnel Branch, the commander of the Border Defense School and additional senior IDF officers.

Meanwhile, Israel is doing all it can to protect civilian lives in Rafah, contrary to Hamas, which is using civilians as human shields. But the world does not pressure Hamas to surrender; it pressures Israel to abandon its necessary war for the benefit of Hamas.

“Israel purchases 40,000 tents for Rafah evacuation, invasion,” by Yonah Jeremy Bob, Jerusalem Post, April 9, 2024: