Speaking at a memorial ceremony for Israel's fallen soldiers whose final resting place is unknown, Gallant said: "This commitment, to leave no one behind, is true for the war we are fighting today and will be true for all of Israel's wars."

"Along with 112 living hostages who were returned in agreements and operational activities, IDF troops and Shin Bet personnel also returned 11 slain (hostages) to be buried in Israel," he added as quoted by The Times of Israel report.

"As we operated throughout the war, the defence establishment under my leadership… is obligated to exhaust every possibility and are ready to take advantage of every opportunity, including the current one, to return the hostages to their families," Gallant said.