IDF St.-Sgt. David Yehuda Yitzhak, 23, who was killed by gunfire during clashes in the Jenin refugee camp on Tuesday evening, was laid to rest at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. His family requested that there be no media coverage of the funeral.
The IDF is investigating if he was killed by friendly fire. According to the IDF, he was killed during the withdrawal from Jenin.
Yitzhak was a resident of the Beit El settlement in Samaria. One of his close friends, Arnon Atzmon, shared his heartfelt account of Yitzhak’s story, and the distressing impact it had on his family, in an interview with Maariv.
“David is the eldest child in his family,” he said. “He has six siblings. He was a leader, always taking responsibility.
Everyone admires him. When I think of David, I immediately smile. He was mischievous on one hand, and very gentle on the other.
“After he was killed, we found out that he writes sentences to himself in a notebook, and among the sentences he wrote, ‘Be good, simply good, without all the bells and whistles.’ Since childhood, he displayed a special ability for excellence, doing good deeds and volunteering. He volunteered with children with special needs in Beit El, dedicating himself there.
“The last message I got from him was a text about a donation campaign for a youth movement,” he added. “He didn’t bother with the phone; he didn’t want to waste any time on it. He connected both to the Land of Israel and to the Torah. He connected with every person.”
Atzmon said the last correspondence he had with Yitzhak was “two weeks ago. We sat and talked. He asked me about my world, about school, the world after the army.
“We thought he had already left [Jenin] because of reports that the army finished the operation. But then we received the phone call, and our whole world changed. We’re trying not to be swept away by the shock and pain to help his parents.
“He has a very clear legacy: to do what is necessary, not to fall into despair. He wrote in his notebook, ‘Remember that soon you won’t be here anymore, help others... be of high quality!’ His mother told me this morning that she had a feeling inside her that David is a gift, a treasure, and she didn’t know how long he would stay with us.
“What David brought with him is a message for all of us to know how to distinguish between the essential and the trivial, unity among the people of Israel, to love everyone. He didn’t get involved in political disputes; rather, he embraced values,” Atzmon said.
Israeli officials eulogize the fallen IDF soldier who was killed in the Jenin operation
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, my wife, Sara, and I send our condolences from the bottom of our hearts to the family of David Yehuda.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said his “heart and thoughts are with the family” and that he recognizes and appreciates “the commanders and troops of the IDF and Shin Bet [Israel Security Agency] for their exemplary performance” in their operation to destroy terrorist infrastructure in Jenin.
Beit El Mayor Shay Alon said the town’s residents “mourn the death of David Yehuda Yitzhak during operational activity in Jenin. [He was] an Egoz Unit soldier, the eldest son of Moshe and Emuna and a sibling to six brothers and sisters. Our hearts are with the heavy loss of his family upon learning the bitter news.”
Gush Etzion Regional Council and Yesha Council head Shlomo Ne’eman said: “We share in the tremendous grief and send a warm embrace to his family, community, and residents of Beit El.”