The IDF announced Sunday that Sgt. First Class (res.) Idan Kenan, 21, a soldier in the Kfir Brigade's 90th Battalion, from Ramat Gan, was killed by a Hamas sniper on the outskirts of Jabaliya, near Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
His death brings the military death toll since the start of the war to 796, according to the IDF.
Kenan's mother Adi announced her son's death in a Facebook post. "It is with great sorrow that I have to announce the murder of my son, Sgt. First Class Idan Kenan, by a lowly terrorist in the north of the Gaza Strip. May the Lord avenge his blood."
His sister Linoy, said that he "died a hero," adding, "I will never forget you, I love you so much and I will miss you so much all my life. May your soul be bound in the bond of eternal life. I can't believe you left me like that and went to the next world, my beloved brother, it's just not right that you did it. Heroic brother, the kindest boy in the world, how did they take you from me like this? I will never be able to overcome a loss like yours. You are my whole world. Watch over us from above, my tzaddik, how much God loves you that he let you go on Shabbat, our own black Sabbath. You will remain etched in the hearts of all of us."
Just a few months ago, Kenan wrote to his grandmother: "Grandma, I don't know if you heard, but there was an attack in our area, one person was killed and my friends were shot, but thank God, they are fine and I am fine. Tomorrow will be the funeral, but the boy's parents don't know yet, so not a word to anyone! Just know that everything is fine. Unfortunately, I didn't get to know him. He was killed for our country and we all understand this, and are happy to be there instead of the citizens and the country we love so much."
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Sgt. First Class (res.) Idan Kenan in a message of encouragement to the residents of southern Israel on October 7 of last year
"I want to let you know that, no matter what happens, I always love you the most in the world and know exactly what I'm doing and where I am. I know the risks and what can happen and I'm at peace with that - and even more. This is the path I chose and it's the path I believe every man in our country should choose. There is and will be no one to protect us if not us. We are the eternal people and unfortunately, this eternity will always come with hatred and blood, and if the Father in heaven decided that someone should die for our people - this is the greatest honor in the world. Everyone here protects themselves with 10 eyes and prays for the ascension of his soul, although I'm sure he will go to heaven. I'll probably be there at night until the funeral because I have to help prepare everything. Know that I love you and that we will never be separated," he concluded.
On October 7 last year, Kenan posted on Instagram: "No one here sleeps until you feel safe. I promise you. Residents of the center and the south, take care of yourselves. We don't have another country."
On Saturday night, the IDF announced that Sergeant Ori Nisanovich, 21, from Jerusalem, a soldier in the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion fell on Friday during combat in southern Lebanon.
Nisanovich was a student at the Avinoam Hesder Yeshiva in Evyatar.
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Sergeant Ori Nisanovich, 21, fell in battle on Friday in Lebanon
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
At his son's funeral Saturday night in the Har Herzl cemetery, Roni Nisanovich said "Ori spoke about the honor of protecting the people of Israel from our enemies, he was not interested in anything except the importance of what he was doing in the IDF.
"Before entering Lebanon, he called me and I brought up the topic of what could happen; then Ori stopped me and said 'Dad, listen, I'm happy with what I've chosen and I'm not sorry for what could happen'. He called my wife and his sister and had a similar conversation with them. The second time he entered Lebanon, he also told me, 'If I have to sacrifice myself, that's fine.'"
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