IDF announces St.-Sgt.-Maj. Alon Farkas killed in Gaza
During the incident in which Farkas was killed, another reservist in the same battalion and brigade was severely wounded.
Staff-Sergeant-Major (St.-Sgt.-Maj.) (res.) Alon Farkas was killed in combat in northern Gaza on Tuesday, the IDF announced Wednesday.
St.-Sgt.-Maj. (res.) Farkas, 27, from Kibbutz Kabri, served in the 6646th Reconnaissance Battalion, in the 646th Brigade.
During the incident in which Farkas was killed, another reservist in the same battalion and brigade was severely wounded.
The soldier was evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment.
Farkas's funeral will be held on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in Pardes Hanna-Karkur, according to his kibbutz.
"Kibbutz Kabri mourns together with Sylvia and Bernardo Shilman over the death of their grandson, Alon Farkas. Our hearts are with Daniela and Javier, sister Noa, and all the Shilman, Peretz, and Farkas families."
"Alon was a very dear person. He grew up here on the kibbutz his whole life, and a few years ago, his parents left the community, but he continued to keep in touch," a Kibbutz Kabri spokesperson said.
"He graduated from the theater program at Manor Kabri. He was an excellent athlete and a good student. Just two months ago, he accompanied us on the high school annual trip to the Eilat Mountains. Our graduates come back to help with the annual trips, and it's important to them."
Farkas said that he was going to reserve duty because "it's what needs to be done, there's no choice," according to the spokesperson. Farkas studied at Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva and lived there.
Moshe Davidovitz, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the Confrontation Line Forum, said, "This morning we received the news of the death in combat in Gaza of Kibbutz Kabri resident St.-Sgt.-Maj. (res.) Alon Farkas, 27. All of Mateh Asher is in pain and shares in the family's grief."
On Tuesday, the IDF announced that St.-Sgt. Lior Steinberg, St.-Sgt. Ofek Barhana, and St.-Sgt. Omer Van Gelder were killed in Jabalya when an improvised explosive device hit their vehicle.
Two other soldiers were seriously wounded, and nine other soldiers were moderately or lightly wounded in the same incident.
This is a developing story.
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