Community mourns death of US-born lone soldier Joshua Boone, pushes for military burial

Loved ones mourn the sudden death of American-born lone soldier Joshua Boone as tributes pour in from friends and fellow soldiers.

The circumstances of Boone’s death have not been made public.

However, some are calling for him to be buried at the Mount Herzl military cemetery, a request that is typically made when a soldier was not on active duty at the time of death.

Under Israeli policy, any soldier who dies while on active duty is automatically recognized as a fallen soldier and receives a military burial, while those who die off duty – even if their death is directly linked to their military service – are not automatically granted that status and must instead be approved through a special recognition process.

The IDF says in a statement that it “appears that the circumstances [of Boone’s death] may be connected” to his military service, though adds that the investigation hasn’t been completed and an official cause of death hasn’t been determined. It says that it’s in touch with his family members and working to support them.

His friend Shlomo Isaacs describes Boone as “one of the bravest and strongest IDF soldiers I have ever met.” According to Isaacs, Boone served 748 days in reserve duty since the war against Hamas in Gaza began more than two years ago.

“Whenever the unit he was in went on break, he went to find a different unit,” Isaacs writes. “After October 7, his resolve was ironclad – he was going to protect his people.”

Isaacs describes Boone as a “sheepdog” who was taught by his father to “protect the flock.”

“Through all the pain, through everything he saw and endured, he always had that smile,” he adds. “He was the living embodiment of selfless service and loving our nation (ahavas yisroel), a lone soldier from Idaho who gave everything for a people and a land he chose to defend.”

An Instagram page has since been created in Boone’s honor.