The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced on Monday that Sergeant Omer Ginzburg, aged 19, from Kiryat Tivon, a soldier in the 101st Battalion, Paratroopers Brigade, was killed in combat in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday. Ginzburg fell during a battle near Khan Younis as part of the 98th Division's raid on terrorist targets in the city.
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, 690 soldiers have fallen, with 330 casualties taking place after the military’s ground operation in the Gaza Strip began at the end of October 2023.
The head of Kiryat Tivon municipal council, Ido Greenblum, paid tribute to him, saying that "Omer was a wonderful and charming child, smiling and optimistic. This is a huge loss. The whole of Kiryat Tivon bows its head, embraces and shares in the sorrow of the Ginzburg family."
In the past year and a half, Ginzburg was in a relationship with his partner Mika Tal. She told Ynet about the recent period since the outbreak of the war, saying, "We got into this horrible routine; he'd enter Gaza, then leave, and then go back in. There's no peace, a lot of worries, and a lack of sleep or appetite. The thought of what it means to a soldier’s partner, especially in such a time, was always on my mind." She added, "Omer loved the paratroopers and was proud to be one."
She recounted their last conversation, adding, "On Thursday, before he entered Gaza, he called me. We talked a bit. After he hung up, I sent him a message that I don't think he saw. I wrote to him that I love him, that I'll miss him, that I'm proud of him, and that he should take care of himself."
Last week, the military reported that forces under the command of the 98th Division had initiated another divisional operation in the Khan Younis area in southern Gaza, based on intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area, and as part of efforts to target terrorist organizations in the Strip to foil their attempts at regrouping.
The 98th Division's operation resumed the operation after it was halted two weeks ago, following an increase in rocket fire from the city, which included about 60 launches in total over a week.
Before the forces entered the area, the IDF called on residents who had not yet evacuated various neighborhoods northeast of Khan Younis to do so. "Hamas and other terrorist organizations continue to fire rockets from your area toward Israel," the IDF said in a statement. "We will act forcefully against these elements. For your safety, you must immediately evacuate these areas and head to the humanitarian zone."