Herzi Halevi: Hamas uniformed soldiers hid when they faced IDF

IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi visited the Navy during the week with the Commander of the Navy, Admiral David Sa'ar Salama, and other commanders.

As part of the visit, he held a discussion with the fighters of Shayetet 13 (Israel's naval special forces unit) about their activities in the war and praised them for their fighting against terrorist organizations in all sectors.

In a statement that was also recorded on tape, Halevi told them:

"Don't get excited over films of Hamas activists standing in ironed uniforms in films of release of hostages in Gaza. These are activists who before the ceasefire, feared to face you, hid their uniforms, sat in some tent in al-Mawasi," the designated humanitarian zone where terrorists were supposed to steer clear, "in civilian clothes.

"And after the ceasefire began, they took out their uniforms and ironed them, stood with a stretched chest on the stage. And when we come back, they will return to understanding exactly who we are and who they are. And that's how we need to look at this.

"We have air. We have strength. We have a lot of spine, a great deal of determination. And we are building this from the top down and from the bottom up. And if our instructions, our orders, and your work - it all connects along the same axis, the chain of command, no-one can break this."