Five soldiers were killed and seven others wounded, three critically, in a friendly fire incident during fighting in northern Gaza on Thursday, the IDF said in a statement.
The troops from the 202nd Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade were mistakenly struck by tank fire in the Jabaliya area, according to the statement.
Those killed were identified as Cpt. Roy Beit Yaakov, 22, from Eli; Staff Sgt. Gilad Arye Boim, 22, from Karnei Shomron; Sgt. Daniel Chemu, 20, from Tiberias; Sgt. Ilan Cohen, 20, from Karmiel; and Staff Sgt. Betzlel David Shashuah, 21, from Tel Aviv.
Cpt. Roy Beit Yaakov
Yaakov is the 21st fatality from the pre-military academy in Eli.
Head of the Binyamin Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council Yisrael Gantz said, "Immense pain for the family, for the community of Eli whose residents and graduates are at the spearhead of the battle, and for all of Benjamin. How much sorrow is involved in the resurrection of the people of Israel in its land. How many heroes do we have who risk their lives so that we can prevail and live here in the land of Israel in peace and security. Thanks to them we will prevail."
Yaakov's funeral will take place at 3:00 p.m. at the military cemetery on Mt. Herzl.
Staff Sgt. Gilad Arye Boim
Boim's teacher, Michael Ben Ari, eulogized, "My dear student Gilad, one of the best of the best. He was about to be discharged and start studying medicine. Wise, smiling, modest, a beloved friend. The pain is immense."
The funeral will take place at the military cemetery in Karnei Shomron at 3:00 p.m. He leaves behind his parents and four siblings. He was named after Gilad Zar, 41, of Itamar, who was shot dead in a terrorist ambush while driving in Judea and Samaria between Kedumim and Yizhar. The Fatah Tanzim claimed responsibility for the attack.
Sgt. Daniel Chemu
Chemu, 20, grew up in Tiberias and for the past few years, lived in Netanya. He studied at Beit Yosef elementary school and later at the Migdal Or middle school in Migdal HaEmek. In high school, he attended the Branko Weiss school in Tiberias.
Sgt. Ilan Cohen
Cohen made aliyah to Israel from Argentina after finishing high school. Before enlisting in the IDF, he studied at various yeshivas, including Yeshivat Har Bracha in Judea and Samaria.
Mayor of Karmiel Moshe Koninski said, "Ilan was a lone soldier who came to the absorption center in Karmiel from Argentina and lived in the city for a certain period. Recently he lived in Jerusalem. On behalf of myself and the community of Karmiel residents and the staff of our absorption center, we wish to convey our condolences to the family. May his memory be blessed."
Staff Sgt. Betzlel David Shashuah
Shashuah's family has been informed of his death. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of first sergeant.
The friendly fire incident occurred as IDF troops maintained a position in a building in Jabaliya. A tank crew outside spotted a barrel protruding from a window. Despite being outside its designated firing zone, the tank opened fire, mistakenly striking the Israeli soldiers inside, according to the initial military probe.
Baruch Dayan HaEmet
This was 21 year old Staff Sgt. Betzlel David Shashuah of the Paratroopers Brigade's 202nd Battalion from Tel Aviv who was killed in action in Gaza.
May his memory be for a blessing pic.twitter.com/BKjiNRcvFp
— Documenting Israel (@DocumentIsrael) May 16, 2024
