Staff Sergeant Yuval Shoham
Staff Sergeant Yuval Shohamcourtesy

The parents of Staff Sergeant Yuval Shoham, who fell in battle in northern Gaza, learned of his death when they arrived at the base where he served, it was revealed today (Monday).

The parents were on a trip to the south yesterday and planned to stop at the base and bring a package they had prepared for their son. Unfortunately, casualty officers were waiting for them at the base to tell them the bitter news.

Yuval had already sent his parents a message expressing his joy at their expected arrival and the package they had planned to bring him.

Yuval, aged 22, from Jerusalem, served in the IDF's 9th Armored Battalion, 401st Iron Tracks Brigade. He fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip. An IDF investigation determined that his death was the result of an operational accident.

Shahar Shoham, Yuval's brother, told Ynet that Yuval knew Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was murdered in Hamas captivity in Gaza in August, and whose body was brought to Israel. "The story of returning the hostages was in his heart. I understood that he would walk around the Gaza Strip shouting 'Hersh'."

Shira Ben Sasson, a family friend, eulogized Shoham on Kan Reshet Bet: "A big boy, with shining strength and amazing skills. A young man who made the most of every moment in life, who experienced the depth of every event, curious, inquisitive, knowledgeable, a friend of all, who knew how to connect, a person with shining strengths."

The Shoham family is part of the "Hakhel" community in Jerusalem, which has already lost several soldiers in this war. "We are known notoriously for the murder of Hirsch Goldberg-Polin. We have learned to deal with mourning and loss. We're getting ready for another big production, against our will. Hirsch's parents, Jon and Rachel, already visited Yuval’s parents, Ephraim and Oshrat, yesterday, together with the parents of Ben Zussman and Aner Shapira," Ben-Sasson said.

Ben Sasson spoke about Yuval's parents: "His parents are amazing people, who gave and give everything for the country. They have done and continue to do all they can out of commitment and will, in order to make this place even better."

Staff Sergeant Yuval Shoham will be laid to rest at 2 p.m. in the military section on Mount Herzl. His family issued a statement last night saying: "The child is gone and where am I to go. Yuval Shoham, our dearest and beloved son, was killed this morning in the Gaza Strip."