Colonel (res.) Golan Vach was seriously injured on Tuesday when a tunnel shaft he was in collapsed in central Gaza. He was evacuated to a hospital, and his family has been informed.
His condition is now stable. "Everything is fine, Golan is feeling good," according to his family His brother, Brigadier General Yehuda Vach, commands the 252nd Division, which oversees the Netzarim Corridor –where the operation that led to his brother's injury took place.
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Colonel (res.) Golan Vach recevies a medal from Turkish Presdient Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
(Photo: Presidential Complex of Turkey)
According to the IDF, Golan Vach was injured during an operational mission to explore and destroy underground tunnels in the central Gaza Strip.
"The tunnel shaft collapsed, trapping him inside," the IDF said in a statement. "The officer was rescued from the shaft and evacuated for further treatment at the hospital."
Vach, who previously commanded the IDF Home Front Command's Search and Rescue Unit, is renowned for leading numerous Israeli rescue missions in disaster zones abroad. In April 2023, he was awarded a medal of honor at the Turkish Presidential Palace by none other than President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Vach received this recognition after leading the Israeli rescue delegation to southern Turkey following the devastating earthquake that struck both Turkey and Syria. Erdoğan was photographed with Vach, who was dressed in his IDF uniform, just months before war broke out and once again strained relations between Israel and Turkey.
The Israeli rescue team under Vach's leadership was one of the first to provide aid to Turkey, successfully rescuing 19 people from the rubble. During his visit to Turkey, Vach spoke with one of the families rescued by the Israeli teams.
In another notable case, in December 2021, Vach – who led the IDF’s rescue delegation following the Surfside building collapse near Miami – performed with a harmonica and guitar at the opening ceremony of the Israeli-American Council's annual conference in Miami.