Commander of Duvdevan unit tapped to light Independence Day torch

The commanding officer of the elite Duvdevan unit, Lt. Col. “Daled” — who can only be identified by the initial of his first name in Hebrew — will serve as a torchbearer for Israel’s 75th Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony.

Daled is one of 12 people who will light a torch during the ceremony on the evening of April 25, one of the annual highlights of the national holiday.

The IDF said Daled was tapped for the honor of lighting the torch for his “sense of mission and giving for the common good… and pioneering reflected in his role.”

Daled, a father of six, initially began his military career in the Paratroopers Brigade. He was wounded during the 2014 Gaza War while commanding a company, but insisted to continue to serve in combat roles. As the commander of Duvdevan, Daled is in charge of training new soldiers, as well as leading operations, the IDF said.