The IDF announced Saturday evening the death of Maj. (res.) Amishar Ben David while fighting in the Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll of troops killed in the ground campaign against the Hamas terror organization to 247.
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Ben David, 43, was the head of the Commando Brigade chief's forward command team, from the settlement of Eli in Judea and Samaria and a cousin of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Video: Hamas operative admits to Israeli hostages being held and Hamas terrorists hiding behind civilians in Nasser Hospital / Credit: X/@IDF
"Amishar, my beloved cousin," Smotrich eulogized. "I will do everything and work to the best of my ability against whoever I need so that with God's help, we will completely destroy our enemies and not stop for a moment. Your death and the death of all our heroic soldiers will not be in vain."
The military said in a statement that it eliminated 20 terrorists in close-quarters encounters and aerial strikes on Saturday in Khan Younis and eliminated 10 terrorists and struck launch sites that were used to attack Sderot in central Gaza.
"IDF troops operated on several terror infrastructures, apprehended terrorists, eliminated a terrorist cell and located explosive devices and weapons," the statement added.
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