Jerusalem – Sergeant First Class Matan Gotlib, 21 from Rishon Lezion, was laid to rest on Thursday in the Rishon Lezion military cemetery. He was killed while on operational duties with the Maglan in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza strip searching for terror tunnels.
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Before Gotlib went into Gaza, he wrote a letter to his family. “I just wanted to say that all is fine and I’m thinking about you,” he wrote to his family. “I miss the scene of the dining room table with all sides full on Friday. It’s hard for me to write anything deep because I choke with tears when I think about you. I miss you a great deal, lots of love Matan.”
Gotlib’s brother Omer spoke of his admiration for his younger brother and his dedication to his country.
“Matan smiled a lot, always loved to help, loved the country and loved to travel through it in his jeep,” his brother told Ynet. “He was an active person, he was in the Scouts, and always wanted to be in a combat unit. He said he was ready to die for the country and he knew it was very dangerous.”
Other friends and family also mourned the loss of Matan.
“Parents and friends are sitting here since yesterday, shocked that they have lost their handsome son,” Matan’s uncle told Channel 2 news. “He was my sister’s youngest son. A boy who loved to hike and and go on outings. He’d go north in his jeep and go hiking with his friends. We still cannot accept this news,” he said.
The girlfriend of one of Gotlib’s two other brothers said that the family had spoken with him two days ago and he had talked of how the morale in the army was very high despite the difficult operational circumstance.
“His parents received the news when they were at work. Their world is destroyed. He wasn’t at home for the whole of the last month and they were very anxious. Every phone call would frighten them.”
She said that Gotlib had been looking forward to being released from the army in three months and that he had said he was looking forward to life without a gun.
Gotlib is survived by his parents and two brothers.
Sgt. Guy Algranati
A few days ago, prior to his untimely death, St.-Sgt. Guy Algranati, 20, from Tel Aviv sent a picture of a small wound on his leg to one of his best friends and captioned the photo, “Let this be my only souvenir from Gaza.”
Algranati’s friend, also named Guy, told the story on Thursday as he eulogized his best friend in the military section of Kiryat Shaul cemetery in Tel Aviv. “We spoke two days ago and you said you were fine,” he said barely holding back tears.
“We said we would be friends forever and would raise our kids together,” he said. “Now your life has stopped and so did ours.”
Hundreds attended the funeral of the fallen soldier including friends, family, former classmates and fellow soldiers.
Col. Guy Levy spoke on behalf of the IDF and eulogized the fallen soldier and said “you always radiated security, strength and faith and always pushed forward and lead your friends.” Levy commended Algranati and his unit for their service and for “protecting our home.”
Algranati, who served in the elite Maglan unit, was killed on Wednesday along with St.-Sgt. Matan Gotlib, 21, from Rishon Lezion, St.-Sgt.Omer Hay, 21, from Savyon in a booby-trapped tunnel shaft in the southern Gaza Strip.
Algranati’s grandfather, who was barely able to stand on his own from grief, gave a long eulogy commemorating his firstborn grandson. He praised his service and spoke of the “Holocaust” that Hamas was planning on unleashing on Rosh Hashana through the tunnels his grandson died to uncover and destroy.
“Thanks to heroes like you, Israel will never be defeated,” he said unable to hold back tears.
Varda Kagan, the principal of Alliance High School, of which Algranati was an alumnus, eulogized him and described him as an intelligent and caring student who was always extremely modest.
“We will remember Guy as one of the most humane students with morals and values, he was always ready to help and to contribute,” she said.
One by one Algranati’s friends took to the podium and eulogized their beloved friend, echoing Kagan’s description of him as a modest and sincere guy who was “always optimistic” and who cared deeply for others.
Noa, Algranati’s girlfriend eulogized him and recounted an incident when the two of them were driving in the car and saw an elderly woman fall down on the sidewalk. Algranati immediately rushed out to help her, she recounted.
“People that had gathered turned around to leave as soon as they saw she was okay, but you offered her a bottle of water we had in the car and insisted on waiting with her until the ambulance arrived,” she said. “You always loved to help everywhere and you were full of compassion.”
“The year and half we were together – were the happiest in my life,” she said breaking down into tears.
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Heartbreaking…. May Hashem grant these brave soldiers courage and strength to continue and be victorious.
These pictures will never make the new york times.
Absolutely heartbreaking. BD”E
HaShem yerachem
These soldiers blood is NO less valuable to their heartbroken families, than the draft dodgers blood are to their mothers.
no words
Sad and tragic…totally unnecessary to enter Gaza…self-destructive. ‘Whoever controls the air (Heavens) controls the war.” Rashi. Sadly, the Israeli society is secular and not properly informed of ‘Torah’ ideas and principles. Fear, instead of courage, grips millions of Israelis. The whole affair could have been completed in a few days with NO Deaths. ‘Eretz Yisroel’ belongs to ‘Am Yisroel’ because of G-d Almi-ty’s kindness, and to no one else. Fear of America is unnecessary. Had the (So-called) Israeli leaders listened to the king, ‘The Lubavitcher Rebbe,’ there would be joy and gladness everywhere throughout ‘The Holy Land.’
Baruch Hoffinger: With all due respect brother you know precious little about Israel, military operations and from your bizarre utilisation of Rashi I fear you know little about Judaism as well.
First, if Israel did not enter Gaza how wod it have neutralised HAMAS et al’s extencive crossborder tunnel systems?
Secondly, Rashi was NOT referring to Military Doctrine about the advantage of air operatons over ground operations. Planes did not exist until the 20th Century so using Rashi to justify your belief that Air Superiority would have done the job.
Third, in Israel we do not vote for people. We vote for parties. The winning party has a ticket where they assign members of the party according to their own internal plenum and agreements.
Fourth, while you very well may be a Mishichist, the vast majority are not. We reject such Apostasy, beliefs copped from Goyim about a dead man being Moshiach. Imagining then that any of us care about Rebbe Schneerson’s views on geopolitics, diplomacy and military matters is either ignorant to the nth degree or else they are ignorant.
Lastly: Your belief that Israelis live in fear is ridiculous. Have you ever visited Israel?