Barak Hiram's inauguration ceremony as commander of the Gaza Division - held in Gaza

September 2, 2024   

New commander for the Gaza Division: Brigadier General Barak Hiram replaced Brigadier General Avi Rosenfeld today (Monday) - who resigned from his position due to the October 7th failures. The two decided to hold the ceremony inside the Gaza Strip, near Beit Hanoun. The ceremony was attended by the fighting forces, Southern Command Commander Major General Yaron Finkelman, and other commanders. During the ceremony, Rosenfeld thanked Hiram for "coming to the aid of the division and fighting for it on October 7th, including in the battle at Kibbutz Be'eri." About two and a half months ago, Rosenfeld announced his retirement from the IDF due to his part in the October 7th failure. Southern Command Commander, Major General Yaron Finkelman: "Southern Command and the Gaza Division have been fighting for about 11 months in a war that suddenly began. A war that began with a major failure, ours. Since then, we have been fighting day and night to win and restore security to the residents of the communities and the citizens of Israel. We will continue to fight - for the dismantling of Hamas, for the return of our abductees, for the residents and the settlement." Outgoing Gaza Division Commander, Brigadier General Avi Rosenfeld: "We stand here with the division's fighters who defend the settlements of the encirclement and the city of Sderot. We are in the midst of a war that began with a major failure, with a surprise attack by the enemy, in which the residents of the encirclement and the division's forces fought bravely, few against many, for long hours until the attack was stopped at a heavy and painful cost in blood. "Since then, we have worked in the division to establish a barrier between us and the Gazan enemy and not allow any terrorist to penetrate Israeli territory. We must continue to work for a fundamental change in the security situation in Gaza so that there will no longer be an armed army of terrorists on our border, and the Hamas threat will be removed. At the same time, we have an overriding duty to do everything possible to return all the abductees home as quickly as possible." Gaza Division Commander, Brigadier General Barak Hiram: "We are determined to achieve the goals of the war. We will continue to fight until the Hamas terrorist organization is defeated, until the kidnapped men and women are returned, and until the residents of the encirclement return safely to their homes. Protecting the residents of the encirclement is the mission of the division and my mission. Together we will work to restore security and trust and return the residents to their homes. I believe with all my heart in the members of the division, in their professionalism and ability to meet the great tasks facing us." [Gallery] Throughout the months of the war, many on the left called on the Chief of Staff not to appoint Hiram, a settler from Kokoa, to the position due to the decision to fire a shell at the home of Passi Cohen, the Rev., in Kibbutz Be'eri, where hostages were being held. The decision, at the end of the IDF investigation, turned out to be correct and the force acted correctly. The combat investigation team at Kibbutz Be'eri noted in its published conclusions that the decision of the General Staff and the Southern Command to assign Brigadier General Barak Hiram command of the sector and then of Be'eri was of great significance in increasing operational effectiveness against the enemy, responding to the residents, and creating clarity in the situation and proper command of the fighting forces.