Israeli Military Honors Fallen Soldiers in Mount Herzl Ceremony

In a moment of national mourning and unity, the Israel Defense Forces held a state ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Thursday morning, honoring the soldiers and civilians who fell during the Israel-Hamas War. The event, held at 11 a.m., was attended by President Isaac Herzog, senior IDF officials, government leaders, and bereaved families.

The ceremony marked the centerpiece of a nationwide day of remembrance, with Israeli flags flown at half-mast across the country and memorial candles lit in honor of the fallen. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana opened the day by lighting a memorial candle, setting a solemn tone that resonated from Jerusalem to the smallest towns in the periphery.

“Today, we bow our heads,” President Herzog said. “We remember each hero soldier and civilian whose life was cut short defending this country or simply because they were Israeli.”

The ceremony comes just days after the final group of living hostages returned from Hamas captivity and as Israel continues the painful process of recovering and identifying the bodies of fallen hostages still held in Gaza. With each burial and each name added to the national roll of honor, the cost of survival becomes more deeply etched in Israel’s collective memory.

In a separate tribute, Kibbutz Kfar Aza one of the communities hardest hit during the October 7 massacre held its own memorial for the 64 members murdered by Hamas terrorists. Families, neighbors, and security personnel gathered to light candles and read names, remembering lives lost in one of the war’s darkest chapters.

At Mount Herzl, the IDF paid tribute not only to the fallen in uniform but also to the civilians young festivalgoers, first responders, mothers and fathers who were killed in the initial Hamas assault and the war that followed.

This day of mourning is not just about grief. It is also a declaration: Israel remembers. Israel endures. And Israel honors those who gave everything so that their people might live.

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