The IDF Spokesperson's Unit this evening (Tuesday) cleared for publication the name of a soldier who fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip.
The fallen soldier was identified as Major David Shakuri (30) a resident of Rehovot, deputy commander of the 601st Battalion, 401st Brigade, of the Combat Engineering Corps.
His wife Dafna Peretz-Shakuri paid tribute to him, "My love. You are my whole world. You are gone and I am left with only half of my life. Take care of me and Yahli from above, I love you."
His friend Omri Alkabets eulogized, "The ground has dropped from under my feet. In 2019 we toured battle sites of World War II. We learned. We saw. We never thought we would experience such pain."
"Major David Shakuri. You were pure man, kind-hearted, a professional with the highest level of grace. You were a calm and composed commander and a personal role model. I love you," he added.
Since the beginning of the war, 563 IDF soldiers have been killed, including 226 since the beginning of the IDF's ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday, the IDF cleared for publication that Sgt. First Class Shimon Yehoshua Asulin, 24, from Beit Shemesh, was killed on Saturday in a battle in the south of the Gaza Strip.