The spirit of the young generation will lead Israel to victory

The massacres and atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli citizens on October 7 – the beheadings, rapes, murders, and kidnapping of babies, the elderly, and Holocaust survivors – have ignited Israeli society as never before. Two months into the war, the citizens of Israel stand united and determined to carry out the mission of destroying Hamas and all that it stands for.

Operational updates:

The IDF expanded its ground operation to southern Gaza since the cease-fire was lifted with the completion of the hostage release deal. Israeli troops uncovered large quantities of Hamas’ weapons stockpile, most of which were discovered in civilian sites such as schools and mosques, and detained a significant number of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists during the fierce close-range combat inside the Strip. Throughout the operation, the IDF has killed thousands of Hamas terrorists including a substantial number of its key commanders.

On the northern front, Hezbollah continues to target Israeli military posts as well as civilian areas, using guided missiles in some cases, while the IDF continues its military bombings of Hezbollah positions along the northern border.

In Israel, this week was marked by the heavy loss of our soldiers, with many falling in battle in Gaza including in special operations, as the IDF continues pursuing its military objectives of releasing Israeli hostages and eliminating Hamas. 

Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, Israel lost 445 soldiers, 116 of which were killed during the ground operation in Gaza, with over 1,700 injured including dozens in critical condition.

Need for Hamas-Israel war enjoys 'wall-to-wall consensus' in Israel

Despite the extremely high price Israel is paying with the losses of its sons and daughters in a battle to secure its future, the citizens of Israel today, are more united than ever before in their dedication to total victory in Gaza, with the understanding that when the time is right, Israel will also need to remove the threat of Hezbollah in the north.Every night, as the IDF releases the names of our fallen soldiers, Israelis everywhere cry and mourn the deaths of our finest teenagers and young adults- soldiers in mandatory service, reservists on duty and security personnel of all ages and backgrounds, from across Israel- the loss of our brave defenders who willingly put their lives on the line with the understanding that this battle might be their last. 

For the first time – perhaps since the War of Independence in 1948 – there is wall-to-wall consensus among Israelis about the necessity of this war. The people of Israel understand full well that there is no turning back now. There is no other way to defeat and eliminate the evil of Hamas at its roots without boots on the ground. As hard as this war-time reality is, with the heartbreak we endure each and every time a name of a fallen soldier is released, Israelis know that their country must continue and see this operation through to the very end. 

The public’s backing of this war stands in stark contrast to the lack of support it had for Israel’s previous military operations. In 2014, during the IDF operation “Protective Edge” in Gaza (Tzuk Eitan), while serving as chief strategist for Shimon Peres, who was then concluding his term as President of Israel, I visited many Israeli families at their homes during the Jewish week of mourning (shiva). During this operation, 67 soldiers were killed in Gaza, compared to 445 killed in today’s battle thus far.

The atmosphere was completely different then. In 2014, people were simply unwilling to continue risking Israeli soldiers in battle, and public pressure mounted on Israel’s leadership to end the ground operation in Gaza. Today, despite the fact that the casualties of this war are much higher, and will sadly likely continue to rise as the fighting expands, the public morale is high and support for the war remains steadfast. For the first time since the establishment of the Jewish State, the public is united on its support for the war.

Israel’s sprit and unity is best seen by the unbreakable spirit and patriotism of its younger generation- our IDF soldiers in mandatory duty. This generation, Gen Z, has often been criticized for being superficial, shallow, misinformed and social media-obsessed. Here in Israel, we doubted that they had the same warrior spirits of Israel’s great founders and military leaders who historically sacrificed their lives to lead Israel to victory. We suspected that the social media age influenced their commitment to our land, the one and only home of the Jewish people. We were wrong. 

Israel’s young soldiers have proven that they are committed to the longevity of the State of Israel just as much, if not more, then their forefathers. They have proven that they are willing and able to fight a tough war, with complex close-range fighting inside crowded urban areas on top of a web of underground terror tunnels. They have shown us, my generation and the ones above me, that they are true heroes, dedicated patriots, and that we can count on them to lead us to victory.

An example of the unwavering patriotism of our young generation of soldiers can be seen in a letter written by 22-year-old Sgt. Ben Zussman, of Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion. Zussman, who fell in battle in Gaza on Dec. 3, wrote to his family: “In case something happens to me, I don’t permit you to sink into sadness. I’ve had the privilege of fulfilling my dream and destiny… If God forbid, you are sitting shiva (the week of mourning), transform it into a week of friends, family, and joy… Another matter that is very, very important. If God forbid, I fall into captivity, dead or alive, I will not allow a single soldier or citizen to be harmed because of some bargaining made for my release. I don’t allow you to conduct a campaign or struggle... I am not willing to have terrorists released for me… I am filled with pride and a sense of purpose, and I always said that if I have to die, I wish it would be in defense of others and the State.” 

In this moving and selfless letter, Zussman expressed the feeling that serving in the IDF and fighting to protect the land of Israel and its citizens is of the utmost value, even at the price of his life. His request that his family not negotiate for his freedom should he fall into captivity represents his understanding of how crucial it is for Israel’s forces to reach their military objectives.

Parents all over Israel are astonished by the bravery of their children. They are realizing that Zionism is still strong, maybe even stronger than ever before, as the true face evil was exposed right at our doorstep. The young generation have proven that they are ready to sacrifice themselves for Israel. 

Today’s soldiers still communicate on Instagram and TikTok, but the messages that they are sharing are inspirational. They are posting photos and videos from IDF soldiers inside Gaza, and when seeing these images, one can touch and smell and feel their fighting spirit. 

At a rare and monumental moment this week, IDF soldiers lit Hanukkah candles at the Palestine Square in Gaza while singing “Maoz Tzur,” the traditional Hanukkah song, dedicating their prayers to the victims of Oct. 7.  This video went viral and there was an overwhelming emotional response by many Israelis who viewed it. It gave us the feeling of what we already know: that this is a historic and justified war, whose purpose is to uproot the terror that threatens the existence of the State of Israel. 

There is little doubt that at some point in the not-too-distant future, whether in the context of this war or at a later date, Israel will need to secure its northern borders so that the displaced residents of Metula, Rosh Hanikra, Kiryat Shemona, and other cities and towns near the Lebanese border will be able to return to their homes. Hezbollah, the world’s most heavily armed non-state actor with its thousands of Radwan fighters and an arsenal of hundreds of thousands of rockets, poses as potent a threat to Israeli residents of the north as was Hamas for Israel’s south.

Hezbollah’s terror forces are willing and waiting to enter Israeli cities and villages in the north unless they are deterred.

The spirit of the IDF has been expressed at all levels and crosses all demographic borders. Last Thursday, Gal Eisenkot, the son of former IDF Chief of Staff and member of the war cabinet Gadi Eisenkot, was killed in battle. Just one day later, Maor Cohen Eisenkot, 19, his nephew, was killed by an explosive device. This war is being fought by our sons and daughters from Bet Shemesh, Jerusalem, Kiryat Shemona, Eilat, Dimona, and Tel Aviv; by religious Jews, secular Jews, Druze, and Bedouin. 

I expect that the overwhelming consensus among Israelis in favor of the war will lead Prime Minister Netanyahu to follow the will of his people to complete this operation, despite the pressures from the international community. The Israeli electorate will not tolerate an unfinished job. In the past, the world knew that after a few days, a sizable number of Israelis would rise up in protest of their government’s decisions and actions. This is not the case this time around. 

At this point, no one can say with certainty when the war in Gaza will end, or when Israel will take the battle to its northern borders. What is clear, however, is that this country, through the spirit and leadership of its young generation, is united and ready to complete the mission to ensure the safety and security of its citizens.