Yom Shleeshee
Tuesday
13 Shevat 5784
January 23 2024
UPDATE 5:00 PM
The last 24 hours in Gaza have been an unmitigated disaster. At least 24 soldiers have been killed.
17 of these soldiers died when explosives that they had placed in two empty buildings in an open area near the Gaza border (ten explosive charges had been placed in each building) were hit by an RPG fired by a terrorist causing the buildings to collapse.
An IDF tank crew nearby recognized what was happening and attempted to fire on the terrorists, but instead, their tank was hit by another RPG–and 2 more soldiers died.
The obvious question is why in the world are we not bombing and destroying such buildings from the air instead of exposing our engineering combat soldiers to such danger? As you may recall, a similar incident happened several weeks ago when a truckful of IDF explosives on the way to being placed in a building was hit by a terrorist anti-tank missile and exploded killing 9 soldiers.
After each of these disasters, the IDF always says that “we will learn from what happened”. It is egregiously apparent that no learning is taking place.
How many soldiers have to die before the IDF General Command changes its tactics?
On top of this, we have to question how soldiers continue dying in tanks that are hit by RPGs and anti-tank missiles. After all, aren’t our tanks supposedly equipped with sophisticated “wind” systems specifically designed to stop such weapons? Either we are using older tanks in Gaza which are not equipped with these systems, or the systems are simply not as effective as touted.
21 of the soldiers who were killed:
Sgt. Major (res.) Itamar Tal, 32, from Kibbutz Mesilot, was a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Adam Bismut, 35, from Karnei Shomron, was a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Shay Biton Hayun, 40, from Zichron Ya’akov, was a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Zegeye Daniel Kasau, 38, from Yokne’am Illit, was a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Israel Socol, 24, from Karnei Shomron, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Ahmad Abu Latif, 26, from Rahat, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Captain (res.) Nir Binyamin, 29, from Givatayim, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Master Sgt. (res.) Elkana Vizel, 35, from Bnei Dekalim, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Sagi Idan, 24, from Rosh Ha’Ayin, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Mark Kononovich, 35, from Herzliya, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Capt. (res.) Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal, 28, from Elazar, was a fighter in Battalion 9206, Brigade 205, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Matan Lazar, 32, from Haifa, was a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Rafael Elias Mosheyoff, 33, from Pardes Hanna-Karkur, was a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Barak Haim ben Valid, 33, Rishon LeZion, was a squad commander in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Hadar Kapeluk, 23, from Mevo Beitar, was a squad commander in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. Major (res.) Sergey Gontmaherr, 37, from Ramat Gan, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Elkana Yehuda, 25, from Kiryat Arba, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Master Sgt. (res.) Yoav Levi, 29, from Yehud-Monosson, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Nicholas Berger, 22, from Jerusalem, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Cydrick Garin, 23, from Tel Aviv-Yafo, was a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Yoval Lopez, 27, from Alon Shvut, was a fighter in Battalion 9206, Brigade 205, who was killed in action in southern Gaza.
May The Memories Of These Soldiers Be For A Blessing
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.