Hundreds gathered on Monday evening at the Rehovot Military Cemetery, many draped in flags, to bid farewell to Sergeant First Class (res.) Danil Pechenyuk, who was killed by an explosive device in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City on Friday.
Pechenyuk, 26, was a lone soldier from Bat Yam, and many who attended the funeral had never met him. His mother traveled from Uzbekistan to attend the service.
Friends and comrades took turns eulogizing Pechenyuk, who immigrated to Israel in 2016 following his older brother, enlisted in the IDF, and converted to Judaism during his military service. They spoke of his ever-present smile, his resilience despite being wounded in his first of three reserve duty deployments as a medic in the 16th Brigade’s 6130th Battalion.
"Danil was the toughest guy on the team, but his friends say he always acted with love," said his commander, Lt. Col. Sharon Kohr. "Even after being injured in his first tour, he returned for the second and third. He arrived from Uzbekistan as a certified medic and became a combat medic, providing a sense of security to the soldiers. When Danil was taking care of you, you knew you were in good hands."
Omri Peleg, Danil’s team leader, recalled, "Even though we had other medics on the team, we always wanted you to take care of us—you were the best. You were the strongest person I knew. We were called up on October 7 for reserve duty, and you faced the enemy with unwavering determination. It wasn’t enough for you, so you volunteered for another tour. A month ago, you came to my home, and we promised to look out for each other. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep that promise. I love you and already miss you."
Yoav Ringy, a fellow team member, described Danil as a quiet person, "a man of action, not words." He recalled an exercise meant to help the team members get to know each other better, during which Danil spoke little about himself. "You told me you preferred listening over talking. We didn’t get to talk much, and we said we’d make up for it later. You made me promise we’d have many more guard shifts together. That’s a promise we won’t get to keep. I wish we could share one more shift."
Danil’s brother, Maksim, who immigrated to Israel a few months before him, thanked the hundreds who attended the funeral. "Danil was the youngest in the family. After our parents divorced, he became like a son to me and my brother. He was always kind-hearted and humble, a good person. In the last nine months, he didn’t tell the family much about his military service, reassuring them not to worry. Only now are we learning what he did for this country, and we are proud of him."
During his time in Israel, Danil decided to convert to Judaism, with the guidance of his neighbor in Jerusalem, Tzvi El Ganz. "I got to know him as a patient and kind neighbor who played with my sons on Shabbat," El Ganz said. "When he started the conversion process, he joined us for Shabbat meals. He was well-mannered and intelligent and often spoke about his family in Uzbekistan.
"This past Passover, he joined us for Seder, and I asked if he enjoyed it or found it too noisy. He said he hoped to have such a family celebration in his own home one day. When he appeared before the rabbinical court, they asked if he was sure he wanted to join the Jewish people, and he replied that he had been waiting for this for a long time. I always hoped that in a few years, I’d see him walking through the streets of Jerusalem with a wife and child, but sadly, that will never happen."
Pechenyuk was killed during a Friday operation by the IDF's 16th Reserve Brigade in the Zeitoun neighborhood, north of the Netzarim Corridor in Gaza City, aimed at expanding the route and locating Hamas tunnels, weapons and infrastructure.
On Friday morning, around 8:20 a.m., a team from the 6310th Battalion entered a building at the edge of the neighborhood to conduct a search. An explosive device hidden in the exterior wall of the building was not detected by the soldiers and detonated as they gathered outside.
Initial military assessments suggest that the attackers likely spotted the soldiers from a distance using surveillance cameras, a tactic Hamas has learned from recent IDF operations in northern Gaza.