IDF to start awarding medals for sacrifice, heroism to soldiers who fought in October 7 battles

The goal, the statement explained, is to recognize "the extraordinary acts of heroism performed during the battles, thereby preserving and passing on the legacy of heroism in combat."

Just over three years later, the IDF is preparing to begin the process of awarding medals for the battles fought after the October 7 massacre, the military said in a statement on Thursday.

A commanders' meeting to launch the process of reviewing and awarding the medals and decorations will be held on Wednesday, October 14, the IDF said. The meeting will be chaired by Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa and Maj.-Gen. Orli Markman, and will involve commanders from all brigades and sectors in the army.

It will outline the process for examining the sacrifices and acts of heroism by IDF soldiers in the Gaza Envelope during the October 7 massacre.

The goal, the statement explained, is to recognize "the extraordinary acts of heroism performed during the battles, thereby preserving and passing on the legacy of heroism in combat to future generations."

The process will also support forwarding acts of extraordinary heroism by civilians to the Advisory Committee to the President, so that they can be considered for the Presidential Medal for Civilian Heroism, in accordance with current practice.

At the upcoming Wednesday meeting, the IDF will lay out the method and key stages for reviewing and awarding acts of heroism.

Presidential Medal for Civilian Heroism

Following October 7, President Isaac Herzog established the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism, which is presented to ordinary Israeli citizens who "operated courageously in a moment of tangible risk to their own life, out of a sense of shared fate and mutual responsibility, with the goal of saving human lives."

Notable recipients of the award include paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians from Magen David Adom (MDA) and United Hatzalah who treated critically wounded civilians and soldiers under fire from terrorists in the Gaza envelope.

The medal has also been issued posthumously, including to Liron Barda, 26, who was murdered at the Nova Music Festival. Barda was working at the festival when terrorists invaded.

Rather than leaving while she could, Barda chose to stay to provide care to the wounded, earning her the award.