The IDF stated on Tuesday evening that a senior IDF officer was seriously injured in the morning in a tunnel collapse in Gaza during operational activity.
IDF forces were mapping and preparing tunnels for demolition in the central Gaza Strip when the collapse occurred. The officer was rescued from the tunnel and evacuated to the hospital, where he is currently in stable condition.
The officer was identified as a Col. (res.) Golan Vach, who headed the Home Front Command’s rescue delegation in Surfside, Florida in 2021. The unit recovered 81 of the 98 victims at the site, with Vach personally locating 20 of the victims.
Ironically, in the pre-October 7 world, Vach also led Israel’s Home Front Command search and rescue teams following the devastating earthquake in southern Turkey in February 2023 and later received a medal from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was then working to restore friendly relations with Israel.
The Israeli rescue mission was one of the first to arrive in Turkey after the earthquake and succeeded in extricating 19 people alive from the rubble, the most of any rescue team. Erdogan showed his “gratitude” by turning against Israel is the most ugly and vicious fashion following the October 7 assault.
Vachs, a father of seven, has been on continuous reserve duty since October 7. Following the assault, he led a rescue unit on the kibbutzim in the south searching for survivors and rescuing anyone he could and has been on continuous reserve duty since then.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
He’s one of the most unique individuals out there and in return has received special protection from Hashem. He is doing much better BH. May he continue his Holy work AMOS”H.