The head of the Moriah Yeshiva in Givat Hekorat, Rabbi Arle Harel, the uncle of Hillel Nehemiah Ofen, an IDF soldier who died during training this morning, criticized the IDF's demand to perform an autopsy on the body.
Rabbi Harel paid tribute to his nephew and told Arutz Sheva that "one of the things that was important to Hillel was military cohesion."
He said that the information the family has about the incident is, "quite partial at the moment" and that, "things like this need to be investigated over time." Hillel was training and collapsed," he continued. "This is what we know. We are awaiting for the final results of the investigation."
He clarified that the family is not looking for culprits or criticizing the army: "We are sure that the IDF is investigating. At the moment there is no reason to express criticism because for now the investigation is just beginning."
Rabbi Harel said that the IDF demands an autopsy on the body: "Unfortunately and to our surprise, there is currently a delay (in burying the body) as a result of the army's request to perform an autopsy. The medical and legal opinions we received claim that there is no justification for this."
"We hope that the army will soon come to its senses. This is a never-ending saga that has been going on since this morning. The delay has no merit. All we want is to provide Hillel a Jewish burial tonight," he stated.
He later discussed Hillel's legacy. "Hillel was a sweet guy, very beloved. A good friend, devoted to everything, volunteering himself, and giving to others. Always thinking of the common good. A wonderful student, one of a kind, with extensive knowledge and life wisdom. A great loss."
Regarding the military service, he added at the end: "Hillel wanted to serve in all the elite units. He tried out for the air force and all the elite units. In the end, with great pride, he enlisted in a combat engineering unit and served for a few months, doing so with great pride and dedication."
Ofen, a 20-year-old resident of Carmei Tzur, collapsed during the training session and was treated by medics at the scene. He was declared dead following attempts at resuscitation.
Military police are investigating the incident, and upon completion of the investigation, the findings will be sent for examination by the Military Prosecutor.
Following Ofen's death, the commander of the ground forces has ordered all trainings to a halt until 5 am Wednesday morning.