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by Troy O. Fritzhand
Israeli soldiers gathered in a field near the border with Gaza listen to a speech by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Photo: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun
Friends, families, and strangers gathered in the Israel city of Modi’in on Sunday for an emotional funeral for Sgt. Maj. Alon Kudriashov, who fell in battle last week fighting the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.
“Alon, my stunning boy, I can’t believe that now I am saying goodbye to you,” said Kudriashov’s mother, Kira. “You are my heart, my soul. Alon, you are every mother’s dream. A smart, stunning boy, always tidy. You were the best friend; you gave me the right to be a happy mother for 21 years. I love you endlessly; you will always be everywhere.”
A member of the elite Egoz commando unit in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Kudriashov, 21, was hit by rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire on Friday, killing him and injuring 16 other member of his unit.
The incident took place in the Al-Amal neighborhood in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis, where there has been extensive fighting. Terrorists shot the RPG at the top floor of the building where the troops were stationed. The IDF on Sunday announced the death of Sgt. First Class Sivan Wail, 20, from Raanana, who succumbed to his injuries from the attack.
Kudriashov’s father, Sergey, also spoke about his son during the funeral.
“You are my son and friend, the best, perfect and reliable,” he said. “We have always been a team. You learned from me, and I learned from you. We always had fun together in everything we did. You completed your task. I am proud of you and salute you.”
Kudriashov’s family said that the fallen soldier was home the weekend before, enjoying Shabbat with his parents and sister, and had plans to travel the world after he finished his service. His sister Keren said at the funeral, “We think of you every second of the day. Love of my life, love of my pure truth, I will continue to live here for you. Every step I take will be for you. You are always here with me, never leaving me. I feel you in my whole heart, in my whole body, in my whole soul.”
Kudriashov was the 254th Israeli soldier to die since the IDF entered Gaza on Oct. 27, about three weeks after Hamas terrorists invaded Israel from the neighboring Palestinian enclave, murdering 1,200 people and kidnapping 253 others as hostages. The total number of Israeli security forces — IDF, Police, Shin Bet, and Maglan — who have perished since Oct. 7 now stands at 600.
