The Government has approved the 2026 state budget.

I see the objective and positive approach of the ministers and of you, Minister of Finance, and we are on our way to bringing a budget – a budget that is good news for the State of Israel. This government, for all those who are concerned about the matter, will complete its term.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning, at the Government meeting to approve the 2026 state budget: "It's good that we are going to vote on the budget and finish it before the Sabbath.

The Israeli delegation also included officials from the IDF, ISA and the Mossad. At the conclusion of the talks, it was agreed to focus on an intensive and immediate effort that will lead to the full completion of the mission regarding the hostages and the missing.

On the instruction of PM Netanyahu, a delegation left this morning for Cairo, headed by Coordinator for the Hostages & Missing Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, which held talks with the mediators to bring about the immediate return of the last hostage, fallen Master Sgt. Ran Gvili

Mossad Director David Barnea spoke a short while ago with Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman and congratulated him on his appointment as Director of the Mossad. The Mossad Director wished Maj.-Gen. Gofman success in leading the agency in this historic period for the security of Israel.

We will grant them all the support they need, a framework we have already built, and it will grow even larger. Together, we are presenting a good budget for the State of Israel, and I am certain that this budget will pass.

And the most important thing in this budget is aid and grants for IDF soldiers in the standing army and in the reserves, and for their families, because they deserve it.

I know you will all cooperate in your ministries. We will continue to develop the communities in the North and South that were affected; they are going to prosper more than ever before.

And all this during a war. No one believed this either, but we believed, you believed, Minister of Finance, and we did it together. In the current budget, we intend to lower taxes, including income tax. We also intend to reduce regulation and streamline our governmental systems.

Investments are flowing and will continue to flow. The stock market is breaking records. The shekel has strengthened. Interest rates have dropped and unemployment is at a low.

In the War of Redemption, we have amassed enormous achievements; our victories on seven fronts make one simple thing clear – the State of Israel is the strongest country in the Middle East, and I add: This is also related to the fact that it has a strong and stable economy.

My fellow Ministers, we are now opening the Government meeting to approve the state budget for 2026. We are presenting a responsible, balanced budget, and mainly a budget that meets all the security needs of the State of Israel.

But most important: He was the most senior IDF officer on October 7 who ran to the battlefield. He was wounded, recovered, and is doing tremendous work for the security of Israel. I am sure he will continue to do so with even greater fervor in his next role in the Mossad.

He has two other very strong qualities – initiative and seeking contact. This was evident when he was a boy. He was being bothered a bit where he studied, so he went to learn boxing and placed second in the youth championship in Israel.

Roman accompanied me over the last year in the War of Redemption and in Operation Rising Lion. He worked with the entire IDF, including and especially with the Mossad. He possesses proven qualities of leadership, creativity, sophistication, and stratagem on a global scale.

Another matter: Today I am bringing the appointment of Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman as the next Director of the Mossad. Roman is a commander with many achievements in the IDF. He has served as my Military Secretary.

They say it's 'unbelievable.' I believed, you believed, and together we did the unbelievable. We are determined to bring him back too, and we will bring back every last hostage.

We are determined to bring Ran back for a proper Jewish burial and we will spare no effort to do so. My wife and I are in constant, continuous contact with his family, a wonderful family. We will bring him back just as we brought back 254 hostages.

Ran Gvili is a hero of Israel – he fought to defend Kibbutz Alumim, eliminated 14 terrorists and did so with utmost bravery. Sadly, he was killed in that battle and his body was taken hostage.