SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — Amid the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which includes the anticipated release of 20 hostages, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Sarasota on Sunday to remember the events of the October 7 attack in Israel, two years ago.
Gallant addressed a large crowd at the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. His visit aimed to honor the anniversary while providing insights into the ongoing conflict, according to the organization.
“When the war started on the night of October 7, I wrote down the goals of the war,” Gallant said.
The federation’s CEO described Gallant’s presence as a rare occasion for the local Jewish community to hear directly from an influential military figure who played a crucial role in shaping Israel’s response to Hamas’s actions.
“On October 7, he was sitting in the chair of the one person that had to decide what to do about the Hamas terrorists,” the CEO said.
In his address, Gallant, who previously served under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, detailed the prompt actions taken by both leaders following the attack.
“We made two goals: first, free the hostages and continue to fight Hamas and to destroy them,” he said.
Outside the venue, protesters voiced their disapproval of Gallant’s visit. Wilfredo Ruiz from the Council on American-Islamic Relations highlighted concerns over an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court against Gallant.
“The International Criminal Court has deemed him guilty of war crimes,” Ruiz stated. “Instead, our elected officials should be deploying FBI agents to arrest him and hand him over to the International Criminal Court.”
Gallant was dismissed from his position as defense minister in November by Netanyahu, who cited “significant gaps and a crisis of trust” as reasons for his removal.
