Country mourns deaths of three paratroopers

The 16th day of fighting in the Gaza Strip came with bitter news for three more families. Three soldiers from the Paratroopers Brigade were killed on Wednesday, after they entered a home rigged with explosives. The three fallen soldiers are Lt. Paz Eliyahu, 22, from Kibbutz Evron; Staff Sgt. Li Mat, 19, from Eilat; and Staff Sgt. Shahar Dauber, 20, from Kibbutz Ginegar.

Lt. Paz Eliyahu

Lt. Paz Eliyahu's father, Uri, said Wednesday: "Five weeks ago we saw him for the last time when the boys were abducted. He had come home and watched a game at the pub with friends. He asked his mother, 'Where is my uniform-' We told him, 'Sweetie, it's one in the morning,' and he answered, 'I got a call; I'm going to the Haifa train station tomorrow.' We took him to Haifa. That's Paz -- when Paz wants to do something, he does it the best way possible."

The father continued: "He had an opportunity to wait, there is another officer in his squad, but because he is from up north Paz told him, 'Don't worry about it, I'll catch the bus.' He didn't have time to come [home] because he approached his position with the utmost seriousness, he didn't want anyone to relieve him and he was there for weeks. I told him, 'Sweetie, take care of yourself,' and he answered, 'I'm taking care of myself, but like you taught me -- I'm first, I'm the squad leader. My guys are with me and I'm with them, through fire and water.'"

Uri told reporters of a reservist soldier Paz had met and who he asked to send a message of hello to his parents,"who told me, 'Your son is incredible.' He could have left Gaza for some rest and relaxation but decided to stay."

The father recounted the horrible moment when he learned of his son's death: "At 7:30 in the morning a friend came over and said he received a WhatsApp notification of a heavy firefight and that there were casualties among the paratroopers. I didn't want to see anyone, I wanted to be alone. Later in the morning, when I saw a military ambulance, I understood that the worst had happened. They told me, 'You've joined the family of the bereaved, your son was killed.'"

Eliyahu's girlfriend, Ela Bar, said: "We met in the ninth grade at youth camp. In less than a month we were supposed to celebrate seven years together. Even though we don't live together we were together, we did a year of civil service together; we went through the army together. It was clear to me we would be together forever. No one will know what an angel I had."

She continued: "There is no one who can say a bad thing about him. Anyone who knew him knew he touched everyone's hearts. It's not just a clich like they say about those who fall, but there is no one like him who thought of others before thinking of himself."

Lt. Paz Eliyahu is survived by two parents, Rachel and Uri, his brother Matan, currently an officer cadet in the IDF, and Yotam, a high school student. His funeral will take place on Friday at 5 p.m. in Kibbutz Evron.

Staff Sgt. Shahar Dauber

Kibbutz Ginegar was overcome with grief on Wednesday upon receiving news of Staff Sgt. Shahar Dauber's death. The son of Orly and Boris, who immigrated to Israel in 1991 from the former Soviet Union, Dauber went to Emek Yizrael elementary school at Ginegar and Haemek Hamaaravi High School at Kibbutz Yifat.

After hearing of his death, Ruhama Tamar, a high school teacher, said: "It is hard and incomprehensible to speak of Shahar in the past tense. He was always the student who the entire class knew it could trust for anything, was always at the front and in the lead, very liked by his classmates and prominent in his social activity. When Shahar took a project upon himself you always knew he would do it in the best way possible. I am certain that in battle he also did the maximum."

Michal Wolfe, who was his counselor and youth organizer on the kibbutz, recounted: "Shahar was a boy full of joy for life and love of life. From a young age he saw himself as mature and took adult tasks upon himself. At Ginegar he was an address for anyone in need of help. He had friends across the entire valley. He was friendly, loved, handsome, a gifted basketball player; he invested a lot of time before his enlistment to improving his physical fitness to be able to handle the army's demands… We hope we will have the strength to adopt his joy of life and strengthen his family and friends."

Staff Sgt. Shahar Dauber is survived by his parents and brother Itai, 24. His funeral will take place on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Kibbutz Ginegar.

Staff Sgt. Li Mat

Staff Sgt. Li Mat, 19, served two years in the Paratrooper Brigade before he was killed in Gaza. Upon receiving news of his death throngs of grieving friends and relatives gathered at his parents' home in Eilat.

Mat, who was raised in Eilat and loved to surf, was seen by his friends as "a boy of the sea." He was sent with his platoon to the Gaza Strip at the onset of Operation Protective Edge.

His father, Motti, who was an officer in the IDF's Casualties Department, was informed by his friends from reserve duty of his son's death. His mother, Smadar, is a teacher at the Galim elementary school in Eilat.

Three years ago, Mat's older brother, Gal, who was serving in the army at the time, was on the Egged bus which was attacked on Route 12 in August of 2011 by terrorists who had infiltrated from Egypt. Gal was critically wounded in his legs and underwent a lengthy hospitalization. Smadar was at Gal's side at the hospital while Motti stayed home with the other children, including Li, a high school student at the time.

A family friend told reporters about Li: "A lovely boy with dimples; amazing, smart, witty. He was his mother's soul."

Mat's direct commander arrived at the family home on Wednesday to tell them what had transpired. Li Mat is survived by his parents and three siblings. His funeral will be held on Friday at 6 p.m. at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. A special bus will leave from Eilat.

Also on Monday, the IDF reported that Armored Corps officers Capt. Dmitri Levitas, 26, from, Jerusalem, and Lt. Natan Cohen, 23, from Modiin, were killed in action Tuesday in the Gaza Strip.

Lt. Natan Cohen

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral for Lt. Natan Cohen on Wednesday evening in Modiin. Cohen, according to an initial investigation, was apparently killed by a sniper.

His father eulogized him: "My beloved son, my dear, my eldest. We were supposed to walk you down the aisle, and look where we are walking with you now. You captured hearts, you were wonderful and friendly."

Cohen was supposed to marry his fiancee, Tal, in three months, in continuation of their five-year relationship. She spoke of him at his funeral: "My hero, it's hard to express what kind of person you were. Friendly and smiling. A commander who always sets a personal example with an exemplary personality."

His sister, Hadar, recounted the terrible moment when the family was informed of the tragedy. "Dad opened the door when the doorbell rang, saw soldiers and thought they were calling him to reserve duty. Then they told him the worst. My brother fell in defense of the homeland. It is a tear in the family, but we will continue to be united."

Cohen is survived by his parents, fianc e, and four brothers and sisters -- Hadar, Itai, Liron and Uria.

Capt. Dmitri Levitas

Capt. Dmitri Levitas, a platoon commander in the tank corps, was laid to rest on Wednesday at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. He was killed by sniper fire in Gaza.

Levitas was born and raised on Kibbutz Gshur and from the age of 15 lived in Jerusalem.

His sister Ana eulogized him at his funeral: "The best description of Dmitri is salt of the earth. Such generosity, such values, such love for the country."

Levitas, who attended Rene Cassin High School in Jerusalem, loved to play the saxophone and draw in his free time, and dreamed of a long career in the army. His friends said that a few months ago he completed his platoon commander's course and was considered a valuable officer with a bright future in the IDF.

His friends from Kibbutz Gshur wrote: "Dimi was a dear brother who was always a friend in any situation. He was a person to learn from about life. A person with values, principles, an idealist. As his brothers in spirit we know he loved and cared from his soldiers and all those around him as if they were his sons. They always say that God takes the angels, but he is really the greatest angel of them all."

He is survived by his parents, Marina and Alex, a sister, Ana, and a brother, Daniel.

Meanwhile, the family of missing Golani Brigade soldier Oron Shaul were still awaiting more information about their son's fate throughout Wednesday. Hamas claims it abducted Shaul alive, but the belief in the IDF is that he did not survive the rocket-propelled grenade attack on his armored personnel carrier.

"As long as Oron is not declared as a fallen soldier, from our perspective he is alive," said aunt, Racheli Gazit said. "Of course the uncertainty is terrible, but we are a united family and are coping with the hardship."

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