An IDF soldier collapsed overnight Sunday during a nighttime training exercise in a forest near Elad in central Israel.
The training exercise had been delayed to the nighttime due to the extreme heatwave Israel is currently experiencing. The exercise began at midnight and four hours later, when the soldiers were crawling through open fields, the soldier collapsed.
The soldier received emergency medical aid in the field, including advanced resuscitation techniques, but sadly his death was determined at the scene after prolonged resuscitation attempts.
The military police launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident but medical personnel believe that the death was a result of heatstroke or dehydration. According to the IDF, the soldier had no preliminary health issues and the temperatures were at an acceptable range before the training activity began.
On Monday afternoon, the soldier was identified as Hillel Nechemiah Ofen, z’l, 20, of Karmei Tzur in the Gush Etzion area.
A statement from the Gush Etzion Regional Council said, “We are staggering from the news of the tragedy that befell the Ofen family over the death of Hillel, z’l. Hillel enlisted in an elite unit to contribute to the state. Hillel was a member of a deep-rooted family here in Gush Etzion and his family is one of the founders of the Har Etzion yeshiva. On behalf of the entire council, we send our deepest condolences to the family and we share in their mourning over the terrible tragedy. The council’s emergency teams are supporting the family during this difficult time.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Baruch Dayan haEmes. May the family have a Nechama and know no more Tza’ar.
an Israeli Yid
A brief follow-up – the father of this soldier was interviewed this morning on Israeli radio about his son. He described what his son was like and how hard it was to believe that someone who was so alive was now gone. The interviewer then asked if he had anything specific to say about losing his son, and he just signed and said “Vayidom Aharon” – essentially stating that as much as it hurts, we have to accept what HKB”H does without complaints.
an Israeli Yid