The IDF announced this morning (Thursday) the deaths of Staff Sergeant (Res.) Nadav Cohen, 21, from Moshav Beit Hanan, and Sergeant First Class Nachman Rafael Ben Ami, 20, from Eilat. Both were combat soldiers in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion. Additionally, one soldier sustained serious injuries, and seven others were moderately to lightly wounded.
He Brought So Much Light: Remembering Nadav Cohen
“He brought us so much light and joy—he was like my own son. I already miss his jokes, I miss him. I can’t look at his pictures, I couldn’t even look at the one released for publication,” said his uncle, Amit Cohen, in an interview with Ynet. Amit Cohen shared that the family lives in Beit Hanan as a close-knit “tribe”—all siblings and parents together—which made him feel deeply connected to Nadav. He continued his eulogy: “He was our child, the eldest of our tribe in Moshav Beit Hanan. The first child born to us here—and we lost him last night. Nothing can fill a hole like this.”
Amit and his nephew Nadav spoke daily, and he recalled: “Every time he could come home, we would drive to pick him up—whether he was up north or down south. This is so heartbreaking. I just hope he will be the last child we lose in this journey.”
Crane Collapse in IDF Base—Military Police to Investigate
A military crane collapsed in the northern section of Gaza’s new security buffer zone, striking soldiers inside a structure in an IDF post. The serious safety incident occurred just before midnight, and initial reports suggest that the IDF Military Police (CID) may also be involved in the investigation.
