An IDF officer and a soldier were killed on erev shabbos in an exchange of fire with terrorists who were planting explosives along the Gaza security fence near in southern Gaza near Kissufim. Two additional soldiers were injured, one of them critically and the second lightly. During the exchange of fire, two terrorists were killed as well. The Izzadin el-Kassam unit of Hamas boasted responsibility for the exchanges of gunfire as did the al-Quds unit of the Islamic Jihad.

The families of Major Eliraz Peretz, 32 from Yishuv Eli and Staff Sergeant Ilan Sabyatkovski, 21, from Rishon L’Tzion have been informed of the incident. The injured soldiers were transported by chopper to the trauma unit of Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva.

A force from the Golani Brigade had identified the terrorists planting explosives along the security fence. The force advanced toward the terrorists, opened fire and identified killing two terrorists. Southern District Commander Major-General Yoav Galant and the Commander of the Gaza Division, Brigadier-General Eyal Eisenberg arrived at the scene of the incident in order to receive an operational overview of the events and to strengthen the commanders and soldiers involved in the incident.

Approximately two hours later, forces identified another squad of terrorists planting explosives along the security fence in the southern Gaza area. The force fired tank shells at the terrorists and identified a direct hit.

Shortly after, an IAF aircraft targeted a suspect who was identified in the area of the exchange of fire and was suspected of planting explosives along the security fence in the area. A direct hit was identified.

A day after burying her son Major Eliraz Peretz, a deputy battalion commander in Golani, the grief-stricken mother, Mrs. Miriam Peretz spoke with reporters. She said “I thought we paid the pain of peace when they removed us from our home but now Eliraz paid the price of the war. There isn’t a mother on our side or theirs that wishes to bury a child. I do not focus on scenarios of death, but rather life, teaching my children to live proudly and boldly in this land. These are the realities of this land and anyone living in Eretz Yisrael must understand these yissurim”.

For Miriam, this is the second time tragedy has landed on her doorstep. An older son, Uriel, was killed in combat in southern Lebanon in 1998, two days after his 22nd birthday. At that time, Eliraz was in basic training in his Sayeret Golani unit. Despite his brother falling in battle, his parents decided to permit him to continue on his combat path, realizing he was heading into an elite infantry unit.

Miriam added “See their names, my sons, names of pride and happiness, my four sons; Oriel, Eliraz, Avichai and Elyasif. All served in Sayeret Golani. I am not really sure what that is, but I know Hashem loves Sayeret Golani and my sons. He loves them very much indeed”. She went on to describe how he values life, every moment, never taking the precious gift for granted.

Miriam added, “In Morocco, we walked around bent over, but here, with my sons wearing IDF uniforms, we are proud, we stand tall. Eliraz is a tzaddik pure, and what a wonderful gift for a mother to have such a son”.

“He was an officer, he led by example. He was in the front. He did not want to die but he was killed so that we may live, continue living in Eretz Yisrael in peace”.

Overnight, the IDF continued to operate in the area in which the deadly exchange of fire occurred so as to remove infrastructure used by the terrorists to carry out the attack.

Following the fatal incident, Major-General Galant said: “During the event, the soldiers bypassed the terrorists, crossed the fence and advanced in a proper operational manner. These are events that occur on a daily basis. The goal of these activities is to defend civilians.”

Uriel is survived by his wife Shlomit and four children, the youngest being 2-months. His wife is a neighbor of the widow of Major Ro’i Klein, who was the hero of the Second Lebanon War, jumping on a grenade while shouting “Shema”, saving the lives of many of his subordinates. The neighborhood in which they live in Yishuv Eli, Givat HaYovel, is one made up of families of career combat officers in the veteran community, the same neighborhood targeted in Peace Now appeals to the Supreme Court, trying to have the homes demolished, claiming they were built illegally on Arab land. There are demolition orders pending against both homes, Mrs. Klein and Peretz, as well as others in Givat HaYovel, who continue sacrificing for Eretz Yisrael while Peace Now continues championing the battle for the so-called rights of Israel’s enemies.

One should realize that their neighborhood is referred to in the mainstream media as “an illegal outpost” but it is a legitimate neighborhood with permanent homes not sheds, with a shul , kindergarten, men and women’s mikve, and other structures that one would expect in a community of shomer shabbat young couples. It is a Torah community made of families seeking to raise their children in Eretz Yisrael, nothing more.

Eli is the home of Yeshivat Bnei David, the first pre-IDF prepatory yeshiva. In the past quarter of a century, thousands have graduated, with many former talmidim today serving proudly in the IDF, officers who are tied to a life of Torah, continuing their connection with the community and the founder, also a resident of the yishuv, Rabbi Eli Sadan. Many have chosen to make Eli their home and continue as career officers, commonly seen in one of the yeshiva’s many kollelim on their time off, always sharing free time between family and Torah study.

Eliraz’s mother is a widow and she remains with Eliraz’s four siblings in Givat Ze’ev.

The levaya for Major Peretz HY”D will be held on Sunday in the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Yerushalayim at 11:00am.

Staff Sergeant Sabyatkovski HY”D will be laid to rest at 3:00pm in the military cemetery in Rishon L’Tzion. 

The Golani force was scheduled to leave the Gaza border following shabbos. This was to have been their last shabbos along the Kissufim area.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)