‘We have to be united’: Father’s plea at funeral for IDF soldier killed in Gaza
Thousands join funeral for Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld, who moved to Israel along with family from London 11 years ago; father urges end to arguments in Knesset and on streets
Michael Horovitz is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel
IDF soldier Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld, 20, who was killed during fighting in northern Gaza, was laid to rest at the Ra’anana cemetery on Monday.
According to an initial IDF probe, Rosenfeld, who was known as Natan, a member of the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion, was killed by an explosive device during operations in the Kafr Jabalia area.
Thousands of people joined the funeral procession, holding Israeli flags and paying their respects to Rosenfeld before he was buried.
In a teary eulogy, Rosenfeld’s father, Avi, said: “It’s so hard to stand here, but I am proud of you. You’re a hero.”
“Natan said we have to stay together,” he said. “He said that he is fighting in Gaza because we have hostages that must return home,” he added.
Avi delivered a message of unity to the country, declaring that “it’s not the time to argue.”
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“It’s not the time to have arguments in the Knesset or on the streets. Think of our soldiers: they fight every day, they give their lives every second. Be together, give them the respect, the support. We have to be together, united,” he said.
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— זירת החדשות (@ZiratNews) June 30, 2025
“We suffered the Holocaust, the 7th of October, all the families of the soldiers who have fallen, and all the hostages who are now dead or are still there; the suffering is beyond belief. Hashem, it’s enough! The people of Israel are good people. Hashem save us, because it’s only You,” Avi stated.
“As far as Sam and I are concerned, our boy is still with us,” he added.
In her eulogy, his mother, Samantha, said: “Natan, we hope you are the last sacrifice anyone should have to pay for the price of our land and our freedom. There is no religious, secular, or Haredi person in the army; we are all one people, with one heart. We need to come together and put aside our differences. You shall not die in vain.”
“I can’t actually quite believe that I’m standing here at your funeral. It’s really quite unbelievable in your 20 years, how much you’ve been able to achieve,” she said.
Athalia, his younger sister, said she was “so proud” when Rosenfeld joined the army.
“I always envied you for everything. You were happy and surrounded by my friends. Since you enlisted, I sent you messages every day telling you to take care of yourself. One day, I stopped because I realized you would be OK. I didn’t think it was possible that you wouldn’t be OK,” she said, adding she wished she could have done something to stop him from returning to his service.
His older sister Eliora said: “I am sorry for not being able to protect you like a big sister should.”
His brother Ze’ev said: “I don’t have much to say. You were the best brother in the world.”
One of Rosenfeld’s commanders said that he was “the first to volunteer for every mission, the first to work the tools and to make everyone laugh.”
“You taught me that even a commander is allowed to lean on his soldiers,” he added.
The 20th soldier to be killed in fighting since the start of the month, Rosenfeld moved to Israel from London with his family 11 years ago. He is survived by his parents and three siblings; his sister’s boyfriend was killed fighting terrorists near Kibbutz Sufa during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.
Rosenfeld’s death brought Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip to 441.
Israel launched its campaign in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are still holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. They include the bodies of at least 28 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. Hamas is also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.
The Times of Israel Community.