Thousands paid their final respects on Wednesday to five out of the seven IDF soldiers who fell in the Khan Yunis APC tragedy.
Sergeant Shahar Manoav, aged 21, from Ashkelon, was laid to rest at his city's cemetery. "How can I part from you, my king?" his father eulogized him at the funeral. "How can a son go before his father? How can a father eulogize his son? How can it be done?
"My Shachar, we won't forget your smile. Your good-heartedness," the father continued. "You were an inspiration to us. You were everything to us. You projected light and joy on everyone who knew you. You were our pillar, always there for us, always ready to help. Every year that you aged, I got even prouder of you. My Shachar, you are my pride. You left before your time. Rest in peace, my king."
At the Military Cemetery in Rehovot, Staff Sergeant Ronel Ben-Moshe, aged 20, was laid to rest. His father lamented: "Master of the Universe, how can I stand here in front of Ronel, my firstborn, who came as a miracle. A happy child, full of life, from when he was little. Like his name (which means joy of G-d), he brought joy. You were able to combine your studiousness with your love for your friends. You had a contagious smile and an exceptional sense of humor. Everyone said that when you were around, their hearts opened up. You would bring joy to everyone. You didn't look for an easy way out.
"On October 7th, you were at the end of training. Together, we heard all the sirens and the commotion. You waited to be called in by the army, and you checked your phone. When the holiday ended, they said they would pick you up. You said, 'Dad, let's drive there.' I tried to convince you not to go, but you told me, 'Dad, even if I need to ride a scooter there, I'll go wherever they tell me," Ronel's father added.
Sergeant Ronen Shapiro was laid to rest in his hometown of Mazkeret Batya. His brother, Gregory, eulogized: "My brother the hero, that's what I called you. You had a bigger heart than anyone I know and the widest smile I've ever seen. You always strived to serve in combat. You would train, crawl up dunes and through mud, and you were excited about it. You wanted to be in an elite unit. You wanted Oketz, but because of the war, you were drafted early into the Engineering Corps. So you decided you wanted to be in Yahalom, the top."
In Elyakhin, Staff Sergeant Niv Radia was laid to rest beside his cousin, Omri Peretz, who was murdered on October 7th.
At the Misgav Military Cemetery, Sergeant Maayan Baruch Pearlstein was laid to rest.
Staff Sergeant Alon Davidov, aged 21 from Kiryat Yam, and Lieutenant Matan Shai Yashinovski, aged 21, from Kfar Yona, also fell in the tragic incident in Khan Yunis.