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Source: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sknrnkuill
IDF Officer Who Survived 5 RPG Hits in Gaza Insists on Fighting
(Ynet News) Ron Crissy - On Oct. 7, Lt. A., then a platoon commander in the IDF Engineering Corps, was stationed at Kerem Shalom next to Gaza, where he fought attacking terrorists. A. later entered Gaza with his troops and was wounded by an RPG in Jan. 2024. "Even as I lay in the hospital, I was already thinking about what comes next. The memories of Oct. 7 were fresh in my mind, and I realized it was stronger than me - I had to go back," he recalls. After several weeks of recovery, A. returned to the battlefield. "I never saw an option where I wouldn't return to lead my soldiers. I know the risks, but I also understand the mission - we're fighting for our home, and our brothers are still being held hostage there. We'll carry out the missions any way possible, at any cost." For many months, A. continued fighting with his unit in Gaza and was hit three more times by RPG fire but miraculously escaped harm. The next strike, in October 2024, left him injured and hospitalized again. "My legs were full of shrapnel," he recalls. "By then I was deputy commander, and I knew I had a company waiting for me. I was going back the moment I could. It was very important to me to remain part of it, so I didn't let myself give up. After just a month of rehab, I was back." He told his family: "You'll think I'm crazy, but only those who have been through this, who truly understand the meaning of this war, come back stronger. There are many like me. I'm part of countless fighters who returned after being wounded because we know what's there, and that we must and can give more." Lt. A. stresses that the troops "still have enormous motivation to keep fighting and defending the country." He bristles at those who claim the fighters are worn out. "The soldiers at the front haven't lost their sense of purpose. They understand the meaning behind every mission and continue risking their lives for the hostages still in Gaza and for the defense of the homeland."