The parents of 21 year old First major Dotan Shimon from Elazar, a combat soldier in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade, who fell in battle in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, have lost two of their three children in the last decade.
Dotan's sister, Nofar, was killed ten years ago in a road accident, when she was only 17 years old.
Yesterday IDF officials came to the family home and informed the parents for the second time of the death of one of their children.
Dotan Shimon is the fourth soldier from Elazar in Gush Etzion who fell in the Swords of Iron war. His funeral will be held today at 15:00 at the cemetery in Kfar Etzion.
The Gush Etzion Council issued a statement: "We are saddened to announce the death of First major Dotan Shimon, 21, from Elazar. Dotan was a combat soldier in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade and he fell as a hero in the battle in Rafah. He is survived by his parents, Yaron and Orit Shimon, and brother Guy. His sister Nofar was killed in a road accident ten years ago.
Prof. Haim Shaked, President of Hemdat College of Education and a friend of Shimon’s father, wrote on Facebook: "Father of Dotan Shimon, who fell tonight in Gaza, sits next to me in the synagogue. Dotan's sister, Nofar, was killed several years ago in a road accident at the entrance to our village. Of three children, the parents now have only one son. This is a terrible disaster."