Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the core lesson of the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre is that the Israel Defense Forces "must always be a barrier between our enemies and our communities."

Speaking at the official Memorial Day ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Katz said, "Our hearts are with the fallen, their families, and the wounded. We are determined to achieve a clear victory — without compromise — whether in Gaza, Southern Lebanon, or northern Samaria. We will defend ourselves against any threat."

He praised Israeli soldiers currently fighting in Gaza and paid tribute to Chief Inspector Arnon Zmora, who died during the heroic mission to rescue hostages held by Hamas.

At 11 a.m., a two-minute nationwide siren brought Israel to a halt, as the country honored the 25,420 soldiers and security personnel who have died since 1860. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials attended the ceremony, which included a missing-man-formation flyover by the Israeli Air Force. A separate event at 1 p.m. will commemorate victims of terror.