The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have officially confirmed the death of First Sergeant Shay Levinson, a 19-year-old soldier from Giv'at Avni, who was killed on October 7 and his body held in Gaza.
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Levinson was a fighter in the 77th Battalion, of the 7th Formation. According to the IDF statement, he was killed during the surprise attack by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7 and his body is being held by a terrorist organization.
The IDF ruled the death based on intelligence that Levinson died and his body was abducted to Gaza, according to which he was on a tank hit by Hamas on October 7.
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The 19-year-old Levinson was a player in a Muslim – Jewish volleyball team, a source told i24NEWS.
Since the attack, at least 136 Israeli civilians and soldiers dead or alive are being held in Gaza by various Palestinian terror factions. Ongoing efforts are being made diplomatically and through military action to return the hostages.
The IDF earlier announced the death of Sergeant First Class (res.) Uriel Aviad Silberman, 23 years old, who had been killed fighting in the southern Gaza Strip over the weekend.
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