Female IDF Soldier Killed in Gaza Explosion Alongside Three Others
The Gaza Strip witnessed a tragic incident on Tuesday when the first female soldier was killed in combat. Sgt. Agam Naim, a 20-year-old paramedic from Kibbutz Mishmarot, lost her life in a building explosion while fighting against Hamas. Naim was about to complete her six-month service in Gaza and was due to take leave to teach a paramedics course at the medical corps school, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
Although many female soldiers lost their lives during Hamas’ attack on October 7th, Naim’s death marked the first female casualty in the IDF’s ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to The Times of Israel. Naim’s decision to join the fighting was initially met with fear by her family. However, they ultimately supported her and encouraged her to “follow her heart,” as her aunt Muriel revealed in an interview with Walla.
Naim’s dedication to her comrades and her sense of responsibility were evident in her words. She expressed that she couldn’t bear the thought of not being there to take care of her fellow soldiers. “She said something I’ll never forget. She said that she wouldn’t be able to look into the eyes of the mothers of her comrades in her unit if they were going to Gaza and she wasn’t there to take care of them,” her aunt shared.
Despite feeling unwell, Naim’s commitment to her unit compelled her to return. The unit doctor had told her she didn’t have to come back, as she was scheduled to finish her assignment on Thursday. However, Naim insisted on saying goodbye to her comrades before leaving. She called her family from the staging area, assuring them that everything was fine but that she would be unreachable until Thursday. Naim’s family expressed their love and concern for her, and that was their final conversation.
Naim’s grieving aunt highlighted the difficult decision parents face when sending their children to fight, knowing the heavy price they may have to pay. She acknowledged the anguish of parents who must now cope with the loss of their children and live with the knowledge that they let them go for a cause they may no longer believe in.
Tragically, Naim was not alone in her fate. Three other soldiers lost their lives in the same building explosion: Capt. Daniel Mimon Toaff, Sgt. Amit Bakri, and Sgt. Dotan Shimon. The IDF’s initial investigation revealed that the soldiers entered a booby-trapped building in the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, resulting in their deaths.
The loss of these brave soldiers brings the toll of Israeli casualties in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and military operations along the border to 348. Each life lost is a reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of peace and security.
