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Staff Sergeant Arbel Reich (IDF Spokesperson)
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| By Israel Insider staff July 13, 2007 |
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Staff Sergeant Arbel Reich, killed Thursday morning in a firefight with Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza, was laid to rest Friday morning in the Galilee town of Misgav.
Reich, 21, was a Givati Brigade soldier from the community of Yuvalim in the Galilee. He was killed when his reconnaissance unit came under attack during an operation in central Gaza, near the al-Boureij refugee camp. Two other soldiers were lightly wounded in the incident.
The force came under light-weapons fire at around 3 A.M. An explosive charge was detonated near the soldiers, killing Reich instantly.
His comrades returned fire against the gunmen, and the Israel Air Force later struck the group believed responsible for the ambush. Five Islamic Jihad militants were reported wounded in the two incidents.
IDF officers are trying to clarify whether the Palestinian militants had known of the route of the force in advance, or whether the encounter was coincidental. During operations last week in the same general area, Givati troops killed 11 Palestinian gunmen, but the patrol Thursday morning took a different route.
"Salt of the Earth"
Arbel had been planning a military career. His high-school teacher, Ruti Givati, said that nobody doubted that 20 years later, he would still be in the army.
His friends, who have approximately six more months until they are discharged from the military, were released from their units to attend his funeral, ynet reported. "They all came to my house before going to one of the friends," Givati said. "They need to cry, spend time together and draw strength from each other. This is a great shock for them."
She said that he stood out among his classmates. "When they coined the phrase 'salt of the earth,' it was for people like him. He was decent, sensitive and always willing to help."
Arbel is survived by his parents Yael and Moshe, and two sisters, Moran and Einav.
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