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Major Nurit, a company commander in the 414th Battalion of the Combat Intelligence Corps, entered Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza on Saturday alongside her soldiers.
What appeared to be a routine operation, like many others she has conducted over the past year and a half since fighting Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, took a tragic turn. An RPG fired at the vehicle carrying her and her team injured her and a medic who was by her side.
The vehicle of the brigade commander, Colonel Omri Mashiach, rushed to the scene but hit an explosive device. While the two wounded soldiers were ultimately evacuated in serious condition, Warrant Officer G'haleb Sliman Alnasasra, 35, from Rahat, was killed by the explosion. He was laid to rest Sunday morning, while the two wounded soldiers remain hospitalized.
Major Nurit has been engaged in near-continuous combat against Hamas terrorists since October 7, 2023. That day, she was stationed at the Urim base and fought against terrorists who breached the nearby Home Front Command base, where she was injured. A week after that fateful day, Nurit spoke to the IDF website about her experience in the battle:
"On Saturday morning, sirens went off, and we immediately rushed to the shelter. We realized that there had likely been an infiltration into the base next to us, and without hesitation, the entire company geared up for combat. We entered the base, deployed our forces—my company and two others who were stationed with us—and identified the terrorists. My deputy and one of my platoon leaders took down the first terrorists we encountered. We spread out, launched a drone to locate additional threats, and engaged the enemy. We identified the terrorists and eliminated them."
She added: "We continued advancing toward the operations room, which we identified as the primary target. Along the way, a terrorist surprised us and threw a grenade. The rest of the force responded with fire. I was hit in the leg, and several other soldiers were injured. Unfortunately, one soldier was killed in that encounter. We ended the incident with all the terrorists eliminated."
Just a week later, despite her injury, Nurit was back in uniform, holding her weapon in the field, as seen in a video shared by the IDF . "The IDF is holding its positions," she assured citizens. "We are in control of the area. The people of Israel should feel safe. We are here to protect everyone, and we will continue to do so."
Nurit married just a few weeks ago, and her husband is currently serving in the reserves. Last month, in an interview with Makor Rishon, she reflected on her decision to return to combat quickly, even after being injured on October 7. "When I saw my father and fiancé in the hospital wearing their reserve uniforms, I understood this was much bigger than me," she said. "I wanted to return to my company and stabilize it because they had just gone through a major encounter and lost friends. I couldn’t just sit back while they were fighting in Gaza. The medical team wasn’t thrilled with my decision, but for me, it wasn’t even a question."
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Nurit emphasized the sense of duty she felt during the war: "Anyone who was in the south on October 7 understands the importance of serving the country and giving back when you can. We had a reservist with us, a doctor in training in England, who left everything—his family and career—to come and help. People left their businesses, and civilians came out with nothing but a pistol and ten rounds of ammunition to help families in Be’eri and Kfar Aza. For me, this is my job, what the army trained me for. I didn’t feel like I had a choice—it’s part of my commitment."
In the past, Nurit was recognized as a Presidential Award of Excellence recipient and has spoken about her decision to enlist as a religious woman. "It came from my upbringing—my father was a reserve soldier who received the Chief of Staff’s Award for Excellence in 2016," she shared. "I was in the religious scouts in Jerusalem and attended a pre-military preparatory program. I knew I wanted to enlist, and I wanted to be a combat soldier because I truly believe in it."
Last month, Nurit also addressed the ongoing fighting: "I hope that during the year, all the hostages will return home, and the war will come to an end. We didn’t anticipate the fighting would last so long, but it fuels our determination to continue serving because we live in a reality where we have no other choice. In the past, people questioned the importance of combat service. Today, there are no doubts."