Names of 10 fighters who fell on Saturday in battles in the Gaza Strip have been released

June 16, 2024   

The names of 10 IDF soldiers who fell on Saturday in battles in the Gaza Strip have been released. They fell in the APC disaster in Rafah: • Captain Wasim Mahmoud The late, 23 years old, from Beit Jen, deputy company commander in the 601st Engineering Battalion, in the Iron Footprints Formation (401), fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Eliyahu Moshe Zimbalist The 21-year-old from Beit Shemesh, a fighter in the 601st Battalion, Iron Footprints Formation (401), fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Itay Amar The Fourth,  19-year-old Yair-Tzur Yigal, a fighter in the 601st Battalion, Iron Footprints Formation (401), fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Stanislav Kosterb The 21-year-old from Ashdod, a fighter in the 601st Battalion, Iron Footprints Formation (401), fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Or Blumovitz The 20-year-old from Pardes Hanna-Karkur, a fighter in the 601st Battalion, Iron Footprints Formation (401), fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Ez Isaiah Gruber The 20-year-old from Tal Menashe, a fighter in the 601st Battalion, Iron Footprints Formation (401), fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Yakir Yaakov Levi The 21-year-old from Mefetz Chaim, a soldier in the 601st Engineering Battalion, Iron Footprints Formation (401), fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Shalom Menachem The following died in the explosion of an IDF tank in the northern Gaza Strip: • Captain (res.) Eitan Koplowitz The 28-year-old from Jerusalem, a combat officer in the 129th Cheshan Battalion, 8th Brigade, fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. • Sergeant Major (Res.) Alon Weiss Y.D., 49, from Psagot, a soldier in the 129th Cheshan Battalion, 8th Brigade, fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. The soldiers fell when an explosive device exploded on their tank, in the Tsabara neighborhood in Gaza City. Two other reserve soldiers were seriously injured. Died of his wounds: • Died of his wounds on Saturday Sergeant Yair Roitman 19-year-old from Karnei Shomron. Was injured earlier this week in an explosion of a booby-trapped structure. Four additional fighters were killed in the same incident. The IDF is increasingly confident that the explosion of the armored personnel carrier yesterday in Rafah, in which eight fighters were killed, was caused by anti-tank gunfire and not by an IED as initially believed. Beit El announced that Sergeant Shalom Menachem, a combat engineering fighter and student at the Shaalavim Hesder Yeshiva, was killed in the APC explosion. Shalom Menachem grew up in Beit El and is survived by his parents and 7 brothers and sisters. Shalom Menachem fought for about 5 months in Gaza defending the security of the State of Israel and its residents and fell as a hero while fulfilling his duty. Funeral details will be provided later. The Nahal Sorek Regional Council reported that beloved IDF fighter Yakir Levi from Fetz Chaim was killed in the APC disaster. The head of the Sha'alavim Hesder Yeshiva, Rabbi Michael Yamer, paid tribute to the three fallen men who studied in his yeshiva, Yakir Levi, Shalom Menachem and Eliyahu Zimbalist: "The three fallen men have something in common, and that is to do good to both God and those around them. A broad heart and the desire to do good to each and every one without drawing attention to themselves. When I spoke with each of them recently, they told me that they were not important at all, but rather giving to all of Israel. All three of them were engaged in endless giving and a desire to advance in the service of God by giving to others. They were people of kindness, sensitive people who understand others, people of the whole. They were people of the whole in two senses: in the fighting in Gaza for the whole nation and people of the whole in their daily routine, helping and giving to others, each to their own." Rabbi Zechariah Rabinowitz, who was the leader of the fallen men in the yeshiva, paid tribute to Yakir Levi: "Yakir Levi was a very bright, sociable and pleasant-mannered person. Yakir was very sharp, razor-sharp. The last time he came to visit the yeshiva, Yakir sat with me to study with a light in his eyes, his eyes were shining. He was very determined to win and not see darkness, to have his head held high and to give his all." About Shalom Menachem he said: "Shalom loved the service of God, he knew that this was the truth and he loved the yeshiva and his surroundings. He was always involved in helping and advancing matters in the yeshiva. He did everything naturally, cordially, with great simplicity. He was simply kind, bright and smiling. When he returned from Gaza he was determined and with a spirit of heroism." For Eliyahu Zimbalist, a eulogy was given: "Eliyahu was devoted to the rule. He had hands of gold and was always ready to help and assist. He never held a favor for himself, did everything simply and humbly. He loved the yeshiva and was happy in it. He always had his head held high and believed in the righteousness of the path. He strove for victory with all his might until the last moment.".