President Isaac Herzog referred to the heavy price of the fighting in the Gaza Strip, saying in a national address on Sunday night that "this is a difficult evening. Each time we hear the words 'cleared for publication', our hearts shudder with renewed pain and grief.

Behind the name of every fallen soldier in the fighting in Gaza, there is an Israeli hero. A member of a family. A parents’ son. A partner. A father. A brother. A grandson. A loved one'."

Herzog noted that "at this time there is one imperative: and that is for unity, determination and mutual responsibility.

We are in a war – not a war of choice, but a justified, correct and moral war. The justness of our path prevails over everything.

Everything. The enemy is just waiting to see the cracks within us, for us to start fighting one another. They also see the conflicts, the arguments, the struggles between egos, the political conflicts – both in the days before, and in the days after.

They celebrate when they see the cracks between us."

His remarks came shortly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the war in Gaza in a statement on Sunday evening. "Citizens of Israel, we are intensifying the war in the Gaza Strip. We will continue to fight until absolute victory over Hamas. This is the only way to return our hostages, eliminate Hamas and ensure that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel. This will take time, but we are united – the soldiers, the people and the government," Netanyahu said.