IDF soldier returning from Gaza (file)
IDF soldier returning from Gaza (file)Flash 90

As the IDF rotates out reserve soldiers in Operation Protective Edge, now in its 45th day, some of the troops being released decided to thank Israeli citizens for their outpouring of support and donations with an uplifting music video.

The video, which features the popular song "The Best Day of My Life" by the US band American Authors, was filmed by "Armored Infantry Brigade 360 Unit 3."

"After 32 days of miluim (reserve duty), we wanted to thank all those who helped us throughout that time and made each day a much nicer day," wrote the soldiers in the description of the video, which was uploaded to YouTube on Monday.

In the clip, the soldiers can be seen with their APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers) and equipment in a park turned staging area near the Gaza border.

Twice in the clip the soldiers are seen dropping to the ground in a choreographed "color red" missile siren - a siren that in the immediate environs of Gaza gives a window of just several seconds to find cover.

The lyrics of the song hold a certain appropriateness to the rocket reference, featuring the words "I stretched my hands out to the sky/ We danced with monsters through the night/ I'm never gonna look back/ Never gonna give it up."

At the end of the video, the soldiers wrote that they want "to thank all of the nation of Israel for donating and helping to make our time in the Gaza Belt region more pleasant, and particularly more tasty." They then list particular people, families and organizations for their donations and aid.

Civilian volunteers, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's son Yair, have turned out to help efforts gathering and donating enormous amounts of supplies, food and clothing to the soldiers during the operation.

Arutz Sheva has learned from IDF soldiers that several stations were set up a distance back from the staging ground directly outside Gaza; there, soldiers were able to receive food, supplies, fresh barbecue and even massages from civilian volunteers.

The selflessness and support was demonstrated by Dror Hanin, a 38-year-old father of three from Beit Aryeh in Samaria who was killed on July 15 by a Hamas mortar shell as he was handing out gift bags to soldiers at the Erez Crossing.