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Soldiers, commanders and family members on Saturday honored the memory of Sergeant Neta Yitzhak Kahana and Captain Ido Voloch, who were killed Friday during a two-hour rescue operation in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of eastern Gaza City.
Deputy Commissioner Barik Yitzhak, commander of the Border Police, told returning operatives that “we are again required to bear great pain for a comrade who protected the State of Israel with his body.” He added, “Since Oct. 7, we have lost brave fighters. This is part of the heavy price we pay to protect our homeland. Even now, we hold our heads high, strengthen each other and continue the mission.”
Friends of Sergeant Kahana, 19, of moshav Eitan, remembered him as “very smart, always planning ahead,” and said he “never left you alone and always thought of others.” Kahana enlisted in the Givati Brigade in December 2023, transferred to the Border Police and served undercover in the Southern Border Police. He is survived by his parents and five siblings.
Captain Voloch, 21, of Jerusalem, had just completed his command course a week before his death. His uncle, Lior, described him as “a remarkable young man who cared for his soldiers. He went out to save lives—and paid for it with his own.” Voloch, a platoon commander in the 46th Battalion of the 401st Brigade, was buried Saturday at Mount Herzl military cemetery.
Hapoel Jerusalem fans paid tribute with a banner reading, “How long will we lose brothers in the stands? Ido Voloch will always be with us in our hearts.” The club issued a statement calling his death “a terrible tragedy,” noting he had sat on his father’s lap at games since age four, later played on the youth team and remained a devoted fan even during wartime.
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'Until when are we going to lose our friends in the seat, Ido Voloch will always be in our hearts'
(Photo: Hapoel Jerusalem)
Asher Shem, whose son Yuval — Voloch’s close friend and fellow Jerusalemite — fell in battle four months ago, said the two young officers “met during tank training and became very close. Despite their different backgrounds, they were like brothers.” Ofer Tas, principal of the Jerusalem gymnasium they attended, added that Voloch “was an outstanding student, responsible and beloved by friends. There is no doubt he would have contributed greatly in civilian life.”
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The IDF said the men fell when their units came under heavy fire from terrorists while attempting to extract wounded comrades. Three other soldiers were lightly to moderately wounded. The operation followed searches by the 16th Reserve Brigade to expand a buffer zone along the border.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, sent “deepest condolences” to the families of Kahana and Voloch and prayed for the recovery of the wounded. Defense Minister Israel Katz said “IDF soldiers fight bravely for the return of the hostages and the defeat of the Hamas murderers. We embrace them and pray for their safety.”