Staff Sergeant Amit Bakri, 21, from Yoshivya, who served in the Shaked Battalion in the Givati Brigade, was one of the four soldiers killed in an explosion in a building in Rafah in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
Bakri’s father eulogized him at the funeral held in the Netivot cemetery: “I wanted to say something I never told you before: thank you. Thank you for 21 years of being with us and for 21 years of filling me with pride because of you. Thank you for being the most perfect brother to your sisters, the most perfect son, and the best of friends.”
Bakri’s sister, Noa, said, “You’re the reason I walk around with pride, proudly saying my brother is a soldier.”
“You’re the best brother, the best soldier, and the best person. A man who achieves everything he wants with humility and respect,” she added.
“You joined the Givati Brigade after fighting to become a combat soldier, driven by the belief in the importance of military service and contributing to the State of Israel,” Colonel David Ron said at the funeral.
'No words to describe the loss'
“Throughout, you demonstrated high motivation, took initiative, and gave everything you could to lead and excel. There are no words to describe the great loss of your fall, exemplary soldier and friend,” he added.
Tamir Idan, head of the Sdot Negev Regional Council, where Bakri resided, mourned him on Wednesday, stating, “Amit was a brave and determined combat soldier who defended the people of Israel with his body against a bitter and cruel enemy.”
“Our hearts break again and again with sorrow and pain over the loss of young lives taken too soon,” he added.