Israeli Ambassador Urges Renewed Commitment to Peace

October 21, 2025

2 minutes read

Mr Roey Gilad (inset) addressing the gathering

The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Roey Gilad, has called for renewed commitment to peace, unity, and reflection as Israel and its allies around the world marked two years since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, which left more than 1,200 people dead.

He said the tragic event, which claimed the lives of Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, remained one of the darkest days in Israel’s modern history, serving as a reminder of the need for the world to stand firmly against terrorism while safeguarding peace and human dignity.

Mr Gilad made the remarks at the October 7 Massacre Memorial Day Ceremony held in Accra on Thursday. The event, organised by the Embassy of Israel in Ghana, honoured the memory of victims of the attacks and subsequent conflict, while expressing solidarity with families still bearing the pain of loss.

Recalling the events of that day, the Ambassador said Israel “faced its most tragic day since its establishment as a sovereign state in 1948,” adding that 251 people were taken hostage by Hamas militants during the coordinated assault.

“Since October 7, we lost 916 soldiers — 448 on the day of the massacre and 468 in the Iron Swords War that followed,” he stated, noting that four of the victims had close ties with the Israeli community in Accra.

He paid tribute to Sergeant Amir Fisher, who spent much of his childhood in Ghana and was killed while defending his comrades at Kibbutz Kfar Aza; Sergeant El-Ishai Young, a member of the Hebrew-Israelite community of Dimona with strong Ghanaian connections; Major Guy Neasley, who sustained fatal injuries in the same attack that killed El-Ishai; and Staff Sergeant Durel Avraham, cousin of the Israeli Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Accra.

Reflecting on lessons drawn from the tragedy, Mr Gilad identified three key areas — military, domestic, and strategic — that Israel must continue to strengthen.

On the military front, he cautioned against complacency, stressing:

“Never underestimate your enemy. Never think that you are smarter than him. Never turn a blind eye.”

He said Israel’s deterrent strength remained vital for maintaining peace with its neighbours.

Domestically, he urged the protection of democracy and unity amid internal divisions, saying:

“The internal debate in Israel is immense, but it is time for democracy to speak. We must listen to one another — truly listen to the pains and fears of others.”

He also called for a state commission of inquiry into the failures that led to the October 7 attacks as part of the national healing process.

On the strategic front, the Ambassador emphasised that the long-term solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be political, not military.