'Three heroes, each one a whole world': Israel mourns loss of three fallen IDF soldiers
Israeli officials and local councils mourned the loss of Sgt. Shlomo Yakir Shrem, 20; St.-Sgt. Shoham Menahem, 21; and Sgt. Yuliy Faktor, 19, while inside their tank during a brigade mission in Jabalya in northern Gaza, the IDF confirmed on Monday. All three served in the 401st Brigade of the Armored Corps.
The Efrat Regional Council stated, 'Our hearts are with his family during this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to his parents, Shaul and Hindi, his sister, and his two brothers,' the council said in a statement. Shlomo will be buried on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Kfar Etzion cemetery.
Menahem was from Moshav Yardena, and Faktor was from Rishon Lezion.
Menahem was the son of a prisoner of war from the Yom Kippur War. Like his father, he enlisted in the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Brigade, where he served as a tank driver, Ynet reported.
His cousin, Sharon, spoke to Walla and shared his feelings about the tragedy. "Shoham insisted on being in this battalion because of his father's story," he said.
"He was truly the pride of his parents. He held onto the desire to contribute to the country, always saying that everything was good and everything was fine. He would help and assist everyone," Sharon added.
Following the IDF's confirmation, Israeli leaders expressed their condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "A difficult evening. The entire nation of Israel mourns the loss of these heroic fighters," he wrote in a post on X/Twitter.
'Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I embrace the dear families and extend our heartfelt condolences. We also pray for the full recovery of the wounded in the incident, he shared.
Netanyahu added, 'Our heroic soldiers fought with boundless determination to defeat the Hamas murderers and bring back our hostages. Their sacrifice for Israel's security will be remembered forever.'
"The Efrat Municipality announces with deep sorrow the fall in battle in the Gaza Strip of Sgt. Shlomo Shrem, of blessed memory, son of Shaul and Hindi, residents of the Rimon neighborhood," Dovi Shefler, the mayor of Efrat, wrote on Facebook.
"Shlomi was truly a sweet soul - both scholar and warrior. A tank crewman in the 401st Brigade who enlisted a year and a half ago in the midst of the war. His family is a long-standing family of Efrat.
"Our hearts are with his parents, sister, two brothers, and extended family in their heavy mourning, and we will accompany them hand in hand on this painful new path. Shlomi will be laid to rest tomorrow (Tuesday), the 19th of Tammuz (15/7), at 10 a.m. at the Kfar Etzion military cemetery."
"The public is requested to stand along the route starting at 9:15 a.m., from the Rimon neighborhood in Efrat to Kfar Etzion, with Israeli flags, to honor him on his final journey," Shefler concluded.
Defense Minister Israel Katz shared his grief, stating, 'The State of Israel lost three of its finest sons today. I send my heartfelt condolences to their families in this difficult hour.
'I wish a speedy recovery to the wounded and send strength to our fighters who continue to battle in Gaza for the return of our hostages, the security of Israeli citizens, and the defeat of the Hamas terrorist organization.'
Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid wrote, "Heartbreaking disaster. Three heroes, each one a whole world. I share in the heavy sorrow of the families and send heartfelt condolences."
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett reacted strongly, saying, 'Another family has just received the terrible news of their son's fall in Gaza. Darkness envelops them. I can see in my mind's eye the stunned parents, the friends with red eyes, the stories about the son's devotion. I saw the news, and like you, my heart froze.'
'At those very moments, in the corridors of the Knesset, coalition members are moving heaven and earth to create a draft-dodging law,' he said, referencing negotiations in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft law.
'These politicians are working to ensure that young ultra-Orthodox men do not join their heroic peers, who protect the people of Israel with their bodies. Why, really? After all, we all live here. This gap is unbearable. We are at war. Our sons are there. In Gaza, in the North, wherever they are needed.'
'This is a disgraceful government, unworthy of our good people.'
Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan wrote, "I share in the sorrow of the families of Menahem Shoham, Shlomo Yakir Shrem, and Yuliy Faktor, who fell today in battle in the Gaza Strip, and I send my heartfelt condolences. May their memory be blessed."
In a separate post on X/Twitter, Golan similarly shared his frustration regarding the haredi draft law, "Israel 2025. Additional publication permitted: three more heroic fighters fell today in Gaza, victims of an endless political war.
At the same time, Netanyahu, the one who sent them to battle, is meeting with the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox parties to secure an exemption from conscription for his political allies. Once again, he sells out the soldiers and abandons their blood to survive another day in his seat.
Walla and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
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