Final Gaza war casualty laid to rest

Injured in southern Gaza on July 23, First Sgt. Shahar Shalev succumbed to his wounds on Sunday.

First Sgt. Shahar Shalev laid to rest September 1 (photo credit: YISKA DEKEL)
First Sgt. Shahar Shalev laid to rest September 1
(photo credit: YISKA DEKEL)
St.-Sgt. Shahar Shalev, the 72nd IDF casualty of Operation Protective Edge, was buried in Moshav Haspin on the Golan Heights on Monday afternoon.
Injured in southern Gaza on July 23, the 20-year old succumbed to his wounds on Sunday.
A paratrooper, Shalev hailed from Moshav Alonei Habashan. He is survived by his parents and six siblings.
Thousands attended his funeral, at which his mother read aloud a letter written by his younger brother who called him a “hero,” news site Ynet reported.
“God wanted him above and so it was,” his father Shimon told the Walla news site. “Shahar loved what he did, his officers told us.”
Speaking with Army Radio, Shimon Shalev said that his family had lived “between hope and despair” since Shahar was injured.
“To our sorrow, God decided that Shahar had completed his job here on earth and he wanted him in heaven,” he said.