SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — As Israel and Hamas move forward with a ceasefire agreement and the expected release of 20 hostages, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Sarasota on Sunday to mark two years since the October 7 attack in Israel.

Gallant spoke before hundreds gathered at the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, where the organization said his visit was meant to commemorate the anniversary and offer insight into the ongoing conflict.

“When the war started on the night of October 7, I wrote down the goals of the war,” Gallant said.

The federation’s CEO called Gallant’s appearance a unique opportunity for the local Jewish community to hear directly from a key military leader who was at the center of Israel’s response to Hamas’s attacks.

“On October 7, he was sitti

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