IDF chief: Commemoration is day of ‘deep soul-searching’ as Israel continues fight ‘for our right to be a free people in our land’; Herzog: We aim for ‘space for national mourning’
"I’ve heard psychologists speak of the need for “closure” in the aftermath of tragedies. Personally, I don’t think such a thing as closure can exist for the family or friends of those taken on Oct. 7th. I pray that the God of Israel will grant His peace, a peace that passes all understanding, to those left behind. I know they will never forget their loved ones and neither should anyone with a heart and a conscience." Comment to this article.
ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 367 "Israel on Sunday evening prepared to mark the first anniversary of the worst terror attack in its history, as the wounds of the October 7 massacre still feel raw, many of the bereaved continue to seek answers about their loved ones, the plight of the hostages looms over commemorations and fighting still rages on several fronts.
"President Isaac Herzog vowed to “make space for national mourning,” as military chief Herzi Halevi promised to undergo a deep soul-searching, while the IDF released never-before-seen footage from the October 7 onslaught, as many questions still remain about the chaos and turmoil of that day.
“ 'A year has passed since life came to a halt, the skies darkened, and all of us witnessed the monstrous cruelty of the enemy that sought to bring destruction upon the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and Israeli society,” said Herzog in a statement on Sunday.
“ 'We are all still in pain, and we seek to make space for national mourning, for the tears over the terrible disaster that struck us,” he said, announcing a three-day tour of the Gaza border communities devastated by the attack. “I pledge — we will rebuild and restore everything anew, and that rebuilding will not be complete until the hostages return home.”
"Halevi, meanwhile, said the first anniversary of the massacre “is not only a day of remembrance but also a day calling for a deep soul-searching. To recognize failures and learn from them, while examining the challenges, those that have been and those that are yet to come.” . . .
Horrors at Netiv Ha’asara
"Channel 12 news on Sunday aired more extensive and unedited footage of the horrors carried out in the home of Gil Taasa, a firefighter who lived in the border community of Netiv Ha’asara.
"The video shows Gil and two of his sons running for the backyard bomb shelter amid the early morning rocket sirens. Later, terrorists are seen bursting into the backyard and throwing a grenade inside the shelter. Gil jumps on the grenade and is killed, saving the lives of his children, Koren and Shay, who were wounded. The terrorists force the kids back into the apartment, where one of them rummages through their fridge, ignoring the pleas of the bleeding children, as he casually sips from their bottle of Coca-Cola.
After the terrorists left the apartment, the two boys ran to the nearby home of their mother, Sabine — who was separated from Gil, and was living in an attached apartment. They were ultimately rescued alive. The Taasas’ older son, Or, was slain separately that day, at the Zikim Beach, where he was out fishing with friends" . . ..
