Lt. Col. Yechiav Amsalem, the commander of the 605th Engineering Battalion of the 188th Regular Armored Brigade, made an unexpected discovery while in the center of the Gaza Strip. As he was preparing to leave the site, Amsalem noticed a monument erected by Hamas and, to his surprise, he saw the number 188, which represents his own brigade. Intrigued, he took a photograph of the inscription and later had it translated it from the Arabic. What he discovered left him astonished. The inscription on the monument commemorated the 12 terrorists responsible for the attack on the Be'eri Forest in July 2014, which resulted in the deaths of two of the brigade's fighters: Maj. Amotz Greenberg and the Sgt. Adar Barsano.
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"This land embraced the progress of the Nukhba combatants in the direction of the occupying army's facilities. The combatants prevailed over the officers and soldiers of the 188th Lightening Brigade, causing casualties and injuries among them. In commemoration of the Jihad March and in light of the exemplary footsteps of the combatants, and as a sign of honor to the martyrs, these are their names," reads the inscription on the monument.
After enduring the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Amsalem, who has a bullet embedded in his back from a prior encounter at the onset of the war on the Lebanon border, sought justice for his fallen comrades in the brigade. In a symbolic act, he decided to demolish the imposing monument that stood as a reminder of the terrorists responsible for their deaths. Using carefully placed explosives, he successfully brought it down.
Lt. Col. Amit Tzuman, an officer in the 188th Brigade, bravely served in 2014 and suffered severe injuries during the intense firefights with the terrorists. He reflected on the significance of the discovery of the monument.
"Informing the bereaved families promptly was of utmost importance to us, as this discovery holds personal and symbolic value. We were truly amazed at how Hamas chooses to commemorate its terrorists with a grand stone monument, proudly positioned on a hill overlooking the border," he says.
"Such a monument could not be allowed to stand and thus we took decisive action to destroy it. This signifies our unwavering commitment to pursue every cursed terrorist and reclaim every inch of land that has been tainted by the presence of Hamas militants," he added.
Hamas has a history of commemorating its terrorists, as evidenced by the numerous monuments, statues and memorials erected by their commemoration department throughout the Gaza Strip. These monuments serve to honor the terrorists who were involved in significant battles against the IDF, particularly during operations such as Cast Lead and Protective Edge. Some of these monuments were destroyed by Golani fighters in Shijaiyah. Additionally, Hamas has also distributed framed talismans and certificates of appreciation and participation to its operatives who took part in various attacks.
Tzuman vividly recalls the attack that took place nearly a decade ago. "We embarked on a patrol with fellow commanders in jeeps, preparing for an attack on tunnels near Al-Bureij as part of our organized combat operation during Protective Edge," he describes. "I was in the lead vehicle when the first missile struck, causing injuries to both myself and the driver. Without hesitation, we quickly disembarked and engaged in a prolonged battle, driven by an intense surge of adrenaline. I lost consciousness and regained it only at the hospital, where I underwent treatment and a year-long rehabilitation process. Following that, I was assigned to the Havat HaShomer base. As my condition improved, I eagerly returned to my combat duties until my release approximately a year ago. Since then, I resumed my role as a reserve officer, starting on October 7."