The Israel Defense Forces is set to establish a committee to identify soldiers who would receive top-tier citations for their conduct during the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught and throughout the ensuing war, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said at a Thursday ceremony.

The move could signify that the army considers the war, which began two years ago with Hamas’s shock assault on southern Israel, to be over. Historically, the medals have been awarded to soldiers after the conclusion of wars.

Israel is in the midst of a ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which saw the terror group release all the living hostages it was holding and the bodies of nine captives. Ceasefires were also reached in Lebanon and Iran, and attacks have stopped from the Houthis in Yemen and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

“Out of our commitment, we have conducted investigations of the battles and presented them to the communities. We continue to study, examine, and implement the lessons. The IDF will not repeat the mistakes of the past,” Zamir said during a ceremony at the army’s Nahal Oz base, marking the Hebrew anniversary of the onslaught.

“Out of the collapse and loss there also emerged many stories of heroism, which we must cherish, and we will therefore establish a citations committee,” he said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz, meanwhile, penned a letter to Zamir asking him to submit........

© The Times of Israel