The reservists were killed in a Hamas mortar attack in the central Gaza Strip Thursday, the IDF announced.
They were named as Sgt. First Class (res.) Omer Smadga, 25, of the Alexandroni Brigade's 9203rd Battalion, from Genot Hadar, and Sgt. First Class (res.) Saadia Yaakov Dery, 27, of the Alexandroni Brigade's 9203rd Battalion, from Tel Aviv.
Smadga was the son of Oren Smadga, a former Israeli Olympic medalist and the current head coach of Israel's men's judo team. Tragically, he was killed on his father's birthday.
Dery, who studied for rabbinical exams, leaves behind a wife and two young children. His mother, Laly Derai, a well-known publicist and social activist, said of her son, "Saadia was a child who put everyone's will before his own. He did much more than was expected of him in every field."
Another three fighters were seriously injured in the assault.
Smadga and Dery's deaths bring the toll of the IDF ground operation in the strip to 314.
