Sgt. Shira Shohat, 19: Observation soldier who loved the sea
Killed when Hamas terrorists overran the Nahal Oz IDF outpost on October 7
Sgt. Shira Shohat, 19, from Modiin, an observation soldier in the Border Defense Corps’s 414th unit, was killed by Hamas terrorists who overran the Nahal Oz IDF outpost on October 7.
Her family said that when the rocket fire from Gaza began that Saturday morning, Shira headed to the outpost’s situation room, where she remained with a number of other observation soldiers attempting to direct troops to counter the attack, until the terrorists threw grenades into the room, killing almost everyone inside.
Shira was buried on October 13 in Srigim. She is survived by her parents, Lital and Moshe, and her younger brother Itay.
“Shira my beloved daughter, throughout every path in your life I was always amazed by your ability to deal with complicated situations,” her father, Moshe, wrote on Facebook alongside an audio clip of one of her final missives over the army’s two-way radio. “Even after your death you continue to amaze me, and to teach me what bravery is.”
“When I hear the recordings of your radio reports, I am filled with pride — my Shira, I am proud of who you were in life and I am proud of who you are in death.”
Born in the small moshav of Srigim, Shira and her family moved to Modiin when she was three. She enlisted in the army in early 2023 to begin her mandatory service, and her family said she enjoyed serving as an observation soldier along the Gaza border, and was even considering enrolling in an officer’s course.
Family and friends said that Shira loved the sea — which matched her bright blue eyes — including scuba diving and swimming, and loved to travel abroad, going on many trips with her family. She also had a close connection to the family dog, Lolly.
Her close friend, Roni Levy, wrote on Instagram about how they met at the start of high school and became fast friends.
“Whenever I needed help, you were there for me, and it’s not taken lightly,” she wrote. “I’ll never forget that due to your insistence that we sit and study we managed to pass our matriculation exams. I always knew that when we got to the army we would stay the best of friends… I miss you so much, you don’t even know how much, I miss our deep conversations, our laughter, our dreams, I want to tell you every little thing that happens to me in life and I feel your absence so much.”
Her family established an initiative in her name to assist freshly released soldiers in finding and developing a career path, saying it represented her personality and dreams.
“Shira demonstrated throughout her life outstanding and unique character traits which led her to realization, success, dealing with challenges and finding the potential that was within her,” her mother, Lital wrote.
Marking five months since she was killed, her mother said that Shira was “present in our lives, every single moment.”
“We speak about you, we speak to you, we laugh about you, we laugh with you,” she wrote. “You’re felt every moment, we are living you, our daughter. You left us down here, looking for signs from you and sometimes finding them. You are in every corner and every flower, in every sunset and every moment.”
