Colonel Liron Batito, a commander in the IDF's Givati Brigade, wrote a letter on the meaning of Remembrance Day from inside Rafah, the IDF published on Tuesday.
"I write these words from Shabura in Rafah, once one of Hamas’s major strongholds in the Gaza Strip before the war—and now, after Givati fighters fought here with great courage, it looks entirely different.
On this sacred day, as every year, we pause the race of life—even here in Rafah.We take a moment away from operational activity and unending warfare, and gather for remembrance.
To remember the 86 fallen soldiers of the brigade since the beginning of the war, and the 1,111 fallen since the founding of the Brigade.
A deep and painful remembrance of the heroes of Israel who did not return from the battlefield, those who gave their lives for us. The commanders, the fighters, my brothers!
In the Givati Brigade, Memorial Day is not merely symbolic.
It is deeply rooted in the heart of the brigade and in the hearts of the fighters and commanders.We carry with us their names, the stories of their battles, and the will they left behind, for eternity!Every soldier who bears the purple beret on his shoulder knows he is not only continuing a path but also obligated to a legacy of bravery, sacrifice, and brotherhood.
On this day, we bow our heads. Our hearts ache over the immense loss and lives cut short.But we also make a promise to continue on the path: to lead, to build, to protect, and to win.And not only on the battlefield: with faith in the justice of our cause, in upholding the values of the Jewish people, and in social unity.
To the bereaved families, no words can heal the loss, but there is one promise we will always carry:Your sons and daughters have not been forgotten and will never be forgotten.They are with us in our hearts in every step, in every battle, and in every mission.
For the fighters of the Givati Brigade, the hostages are not just a mission—they are a calling.As long as they are not home, our hearts are not whole. We will not stop, we will not rest—until they all return.
On this day, I stand at attention and salute you, my fallen brothers.I promise we will not relent until victory is ours, and we will protect our beloved and only home.
May the memory of the fallen be blessed."
Since the beginning of the ongoing war, 850 IDF soldiers have fallen. 410 of whom have been killed in Gaza. 5,825 have been wounded in total. 2,635 have been wounded in Gaza, according to the IDF.