Honoring fallen, Golani troops trace giant Star of David into captured terror outpost
Soldiers use armored vehicles to make symbol on grounds used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad for ceremonies, in memory of 72 comrades who have been killed since Oct. 7
Michael Horovitz is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel
The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that the Golani Brigade held a ceremony in Gaza to memorialize its fallen soldiers, using armored vehicles to draw a giant Star of David on the grounds of a former terrorist training base.
The 13th and 51st battalions chose to make the display — honoring the 72 soldiers of the brigade that have fallen in battle since October 7 — at the now IDF-controlled “Kativa” outpost, where Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad held parades and ceremonies, according to a military statement.
“From this area came those damned terrorists who murdered and kidnapped women, children and the elderly on Saturday, October 7,” said Lt. Col. Tomer Greenberg, commander of the 13th Battalion, adding the soldiers had a duty “to continue to act with determination and lethality while avoiding injury to innocents.”
“The war still has a long way to go and there are still many goals to achieve, but when it ends we will get you home. We have a lot to tell you about the bravery of your children,” he said.
“Our task now is to contain this space. We are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve this goal. We will continue to act professionally, aggressively and with determination until victory,” said Lt. Col. Meir Ohion, commander of the 51st Battalion.
Golani soldiers have engaged in intense clashes with terrorists since the beginning of the ground offensive in Gaza, and last week posed inside the Hamas parliament for a photo before the building was destroyed.
״הרחבה ממנה יצאו מחבלים ארורים לטבח של ה-7.10 נמצאת כעת בידי לוחמי גולני" – בעומק הרצועה, ברחבת המסדרים של מוצב החמאס קיימו לוחמי חטיבת גולני טקס קרבי לזכר חבריהם שנפלו בקרבות מתחילת הלחימה: pic.twitter.com/XMyZ0eafRr
— דובר צה״ל דניאל הגרי – Daniel Hagari (@IDFSpokesperson) November 17, 2023
War erupted between Israel and Hamas after the October 7 massacres, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border from Gaza, killing some 1,200 people and seizing some 240 hostages of all ages, under the cover of thousands of rockets fired at Israeli towns and cities. The vast majority of those killed as gunmen seized border communities were civilians — including babies, children and the elderly.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.