Captain Roy Miller, 21, from Herzliya, a platoon commander in the Givati Brigade's Rotem Battalion fell in action in the northern Gaza Strip during a clash with terrorists inside a building, the IDF reported Thursday morning.
In the same battle, another officer and soldier from the Rotem Battalion were also injured. They were evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families have been notified.
Captain Miller's mother, Ariela, eulogized her son. "My hero Roy chose the command path. He commanded as a platoon leader in the Tomer Company of the Rotem Battalion in Givati. The soldiers of the company, from religious homes, entered Gaza singing 'I Believe.' His soldiers, like most of the fighters, both religious and secular, wear patches of the Temple and the Messiah, thus bringing the Holy Spirit into impure Gaza and purifying it. We are not conquerors; we are returning home. We must learn from these pure soldiers what unity, shared destiny, and strong faith in the Creator are."
"I am proud of my kind-hearted and handsome son Roy, who excelled in everything, proud of his fighting spirit, his choice, and the care he showed for his soldiers and others," she wrote. "I called him my private redeemer soldier, and he smiled his charming smile. I was blessed with 22 amazing years, less a week. Captain Roy Miller's mother - proud of you, I was blessed."
Hours earlier, the IDF reported Wednesday night that Captain Elay Elisha Lugasi, 21, from Kiryat Shmona, a team commander in the 7th Armored Brigade's 75th Battalion, was killed by an anti-tank missile in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City.
Three other soldiers from the battalion were seriously injured in the incident where Captain Lugasi fell. Their families have been notified.
The fallen officer was the only son of Kiryat Shmona municipal employee Smadar Lugasi. Mayor Avihai Stern eulogized, "Elay was a brave fighter and an amazing person, the best of the best, who was injured at the beginning of the war but heroically insisted on returning to fight as soon as he was back on his feet.
"I write these lines in complete shock and deep sorrow. Dear Smadar, all of Kiryat Shmona embraces and supports you. Our city has lost one of its finest sons and heroes today. Rest in peace, Elay, and may we all be worthy of you."
Since the beginning of the war, 677 IDF soldiers have been killed, 323 of them since the start of ground operations in Gaza.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met Wednesday with members of the Technology and Logistics Division in the Gaza border staging areas. "Operational and logistical capabilities are what enable us to achieve our war objectives, and in Gaza, we are getting closer to this goal," Gallant told the soldiers. "Hamas is worn out, in a difficult situation and we will reach our goals from a very strong position as this progresses.
"The tank here, which you maintain after it comes out of battle, can reach the Litani River. We are determined to take this step in Lebanon if necessary. We strike Hezbollah with very hard blows every day, and we will be ready to take any required action in Lebanon or reach an agreement from a position of strength. We prefer an agreement, but if reality forces us, we will know how to fight."
First published: 23:39, 07.03.24