IDF announces names of four soldiers who fell in battle in southern Gaza

• Published date: 07 April 2024
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The soldiers were identified as Capt. Ido Baruch, 21, from Tel Mond, a squad commander in the commando training school who served in the Egoz Unit; Sgt. Amitai Even Shoshan, 20, from Azriel, who was undergoing training in the commando training school; Sgt. Reef Harush, 20, from Kibbutz Ramat David, who was undergoing training in the commando training school; and Sgt. Ilai Zair, 20, from Keidar who was undergoing training in the commando training school

Israeli media reported that the incident occurred in northern Khan Yunis on Saturday. While troops and tanks were searching the area, terrorists emerged from an underground shaft within the rubble and fired at the soldiers.

Three soldiers were killed immediately. An additional soldier was critically wounded and died from his wounds in the hospital.

The terrorists managed to escape via the shaft, and the remaining IDF troops, who had detected explosives in its vicinity and had identified the trap, decided not to pursue them further.

Harush's father speaks of fallen son

Avi Harush, Reef's father, said, according to Ynet, "We are torn; yesterday at six in the evening, they knocked on the door of my house, the city officer came, I immediately knew that my Reef was killed, there were no doubts because I saw that for the wounded they no longer notify by visit, but do it only by phone."

"We lost a lovely boy with a huge heart...Reef was aware...