Retired Major General Gross Malkia, 25, from the village of Susiya in the Hebron Mountains, a soldier in the 9212th Armored Battalion, the Iron Fist Brigade, was killed in the southern Gaza Strip.
Residents of the Ramot neighborhood in Jerusalem have been waiting for this news for a long time.
Malkia, a seventh-grade student at Yeshiva Or Etzion, was killed in an operational accident in a tank in Rafah.
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The incident is under investigation.
Malkia is the fourth horseman killed in the war.
Malkia was promoted from the rank of sergeant major (res.) to the rank of major general (res.) after his death.
He is the 313th soldier to fall since the start of the ground maneuvers. This brings the number of IDF casualties in the war to 665.
Head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, Eliram Azulai: "The residents of the council bow their heads in great sadness and pain upon learning of the difficult news of the fall in Rafah of Malkia Gross, 25, from Susiya, a fighter in the 205th Armored Brigade, Iron Fist. Malkia is the fourth casualty from the settlement of Susiya.
""Malchiah graduated from mathematics teaching studies, while studying he taught and was loved by his students. He loved people, was kind-hearted. He always walked around with a book in his hand. At this difficult time, we would like to hug and strengthen the Gross family and the entire Susya community and share in their deep sorrow. May his memory be blessed.".
Minister Bezalel Smotrich eulogized: "A week that began with difficult news about the fall of a hero. Malchiah Gross fell in battle in Gaza in a just war that the people of Israel embarked on with one goal - to win. My heart is with his family in the most painful moments on earth. The people of Israel strengthen you and send you a big hug. In God's name, together we will fight and together we will win.".
Recently, the fighting has been focused on the southern Gaza Strip, particularly in Rafah. The IDF estimates that the disbandment of the Rafah Brigade will not take much longer, and its completion will allow for a transition to the third phase of the campaign - throughout the entire Strip.
