Staff Sergeant Amit Cohen, who fell in combat in Khan Younis Monday, sent flowers to his girlfriend Lia Ben Baruch just hours before his death, with the bouquet arriving as news of his battlefield death reached her.
Video: Amit Cohen as a toddler in a commercial / Credit: Courtesy of the family
In devastating timing, girlfriend Liah Ben Baruch received Cohen's flower delivery Monday, arriving simultaneously with battlefield death notifications. The accompanying card read, "My beloved Liah'le. Today you complete an important life chapter. I wanted to remind you how incredibly proud I am of you, of the outstanding commander you've become and simply for being yourself! I love you tremendously and miss you, Amit."
Tuesday, Ben Baruch shared, "He represented the world's finest person, possessing a golden heart. The absolute best. Golani wasn't his original assignment. He initially received armored corps placement but declined. Yesterday he sent flowers following my completion of soldier training courses."
Her grief-stricken account continued, "He sent those flowers writing about his pride in me. We spoke before the ceremony, before the incident occurred, when he telephoned me. No boy existed so good and loving. Staff Sergeant Danilo Mocanu also died in Gaza. Their yearbook photograph shows them together."
Ben Baruch reflected, "He remained inside Gaza, finding it extremely difficult emotionally. He encountered Danilo during his final exit rotation, meeting him coincidentally on transport, where they spent time talking together."
She revealed, "Two weeks ago I asked whether he'd written letters in case he never returned. He became angry, saying people writing such things believe something might happen to them, and he refused to write anything."
Notably, Amit Cohen represents the second casualty from his Holon class, following Danilo's death over two months ago in building collapse incidents.
Mother Maya Cohen explained, "We attended Danilo's funeral while Amit remained in Gaza, unable to leave. My husband Kafir and I attended, providing him updates since he lacked phone access in Gaza then."
Maya Cohen elaborated, "During that funeral his mother appeared completely shattered, and I thought, dear God, watching television coverage repeatedly, I wonder how anyone contains such pain? How is that possible? It's impossible to contain... I cannot believe it reached my door. I cannot believe it."
She sorrowfully described Amit Cohen, "He served as scout leader, meeting Leah through scouting, becoming completely Golani-obsessed. I moved heaven and earth ensuring his placement there, recognizing its importance to him while knowing I'd regret that decision. Throughout these year and eight months, repeatedly, each time he came home, I'd plead, Amit, enough, stop, please, you've completed the training course, you've accomplished it, enough."
Maya Cohen continued, "Nothing helped, nothing helped, 'No mother, if everyone spoke like you, October seventh's Gaza border community events would occur in Holon. You don't comprehend how important this is.'"
Monday afternoon, Maya Cohen learned about Gaza incidents through soldiers returning for refreshment periods. "Several days remained quiet, requiring no inquiries. Yesterday suddenly I heard from one soldier coming for refreshment from his unit, updated by another unit soldier. His father immediately notified me, 'An incident occurred in the unit, investigate what's happening.'"
Maya Cohen recounted, "I telephoned the unit leader without response, sent WhatsApp messages without replies. Until now, neither unit leader, deputy unit leader, nor sergeant responded. Not my son, nothing. I concluded something was wrong. This marked the first unit incident. Possibly they remained busy. I spoke with the unit leader's mother."
She continued, "She asked what happened? An incident occurred, but she lacked details. I requested Lia (Amit's girlfriend), knowing she was completing courses but had access, and they informed her - one killed, one critically wounded, but Amit remained safe."
Maya Cohen concluded, "However, intuitive feelings left me unsettled... I told my husband, Kafir, I won't remain calm until hearing news. Suddenly I heard door knocking and soldiers appeared. I've experienced door knocking from sleep for extended periods, uncontrolled anxieties. I awakened from nighttime sleep."
During childhood, Amit Cohen appeared in Huggies diaper advertisements featuring his distinctive blonde curls. Amit Cohen becomes the IDF's 894th casualty since October 7. May his memory remain blessed.
