Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed the identities of eight additional soldiers who lost their lives in intense fighting on Saturday, bringing the total casualties over the weekend to 13.
Among the fallen were four members of the 7th Armored Brigade, all holding the rank of Staff Sgt., who bravely faced combat in southern Gaza. The honored soldiers were David Bogdanovskyi (19) and Orel Bashan (20) from Haifa, Gal Hershko (20) from Yiftah, and Itamar Shemen, a paramedic deployed with the brigade, from Lapid.
Master Sgt. (res.) Nadav Issachar Farhi (30) from Herzliya and Master Sgt. (res.) Eliyahu Meir Ohana (28) from Haifa, both part of the Yiftach Brigade, met their fate in central Gaza on Saturday.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Elyassaf Shoshan (23) from Jerusalem and Sgt. First Class (Res.) Ohad Ashur (23) from Kfar Yona lost their lives in the same region, adding to the somber toll.
The IDF also reported that five soldiers sustained serious injuries during the fierce battles.
A soldier previously identified by the IDF, Cpt. Oshri Moshe Butzhak (22), a team commander in the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance unit from Haifa, was also among the casualties.
The IDF had earlier disclosed the names of four soldiers killed on Friday: Staff Sgt. Nir Rafael Kananian (20) of the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit from Beit Keshet, Staff Sgt. Birhanu Kassie (20) of the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit from Beit Shemesh, Master Sgt. (res.) Shay Termin (26) of the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade’s 6623rd Battalion from Rosh Pina, and Warrant Officer (res.) Alexander Shpits (41) of the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade’s 6623rd Battalion from Karmiel.
With these latest casualties, the number of troops lost since the commencement of the ground operation in October has risen to 152.
