The view from my veranda

In mourning, 21+3

23rd January 2024

Midweek update

Israel is in mourning today after losing 24 soldiers yesterday.

3 officers were lost in fighting and 21 soldiers in a horrific incident while clearing a safe zone on the Gaza side of the border just 600 metres from Kibbutz Kissufim. They were so close to home, flattening buildings which overlooked the Kibbutz, which had endangered the lives of Kibbutz members each day for years. It was hoped that by creating a safe zone they could return to the Kibbutz, to their homes, those whose homes are still standing.

The soldiers were placing explosives, ready to clear the building when Hamas launched an RPG missile which caused the explosives to ignite before the buildings were cleared of soldiers. The soldiers who died were Christian, Jewish, Moslem, religious and secular, each and every one a reservist volunteer who gave his life defending this country.

Every soldier has a family, and many reservists have wives and children, and each and every one of them has a name which is read out in our news bulletins, but announced only after their families have been informed. The deep respect and gratitude toward the families is expressed in the thousands of ordinary citizens that go to each funeral, visit each home with the prayer that by enveloping them in love it will dull the obvious pain. Many more people line the route to the cemetery, holding flags as a guard of honour. We are all together in our pain.

Please, open this article in Haaretz. Look at the faces of the young men who died, see who they were because they died fighting against an enemy that is threatening our country, your country, all over the world; fighting the Iranian proxies whose tentacles are slowly but surely grasping the young people of the world. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-01-23/ty-article/21-soldiers-killed-in-deadliest-incident-for-israel-since-start-of-gaza-ground-offensive/0000018d-35af-d81e-abdf-3daf470e0000

I send you love and wishes for a better day tomorrow

Sheila