New Israeli Chief of Staff enters Gaza, speaks with soldiers: "Be ready and alert"

The Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, conducted a tour of the Gaza Strip on Thursday, trained the fighters of the "Netzah Yehuda" battalion of the Kfir Brigade in the field, and then spoke with them: "Be ready all the time, be alert all the time and be suspicious all the time."

He added: "If you look back, you will see the houses of Sderot, you are protecting the civilian residents who are in Sderot. You are our last line."

"In a sense, you have a great responsibility," Zamir added, "I trust you, I am sure that you will do your service to the best of your ability, you have excellent commanders, we have excellent soldiers, and we will know how to meet all our missions in the best possible way."

On Tuesday evening, Eyal Zamir held his inaugural meeting with the General Staff Forum, presenting his key directives and decisions upon assuming command.

The discussion outlined a robust agenda for 2025, with Zamir declaring it a "year of war" focused on Gaza, Iran, and consolidating gains across other fronts. Emphasizing the core value of "victory" in combat, he underscored the IDF’s unwavering commitment to securing decisive outcomes.