WATCH: Fallen soldier Matityahu Perel's family breaks down crying on their way to his funeral

Israelis line the streets with flags, as Matityahu Perel's family makes its way to the cemetery to lay him to rest, 9 January 2025 (Photo: Courtesy)

The Perel family, whose son Matityahu z"l fell last night during the fighting in Gaza, made their way this morning (Thursday) from their home to the funeral at Mount Herzl. As a gesture of solidarity and support, dozens of Beit El residents stood along the roadside and escorted the family while waving Israeli flags.

Matityahu Ya'akov Perel and Sergeant Kanaoo Kasa, both 22, were serving in the 46th Battalion of the prestigious Iron Tracks Division when their tank came under fire. They were killed along with 20 year old Nevo Fisher, a tank commander.

Perel, from the Samarian settlement of Beit El, and Kasa, from Beit Shemesh, represented the diverse fabric of Israeli society.

"With great sorrow, we announce the fall in combat of a son of the Beit El settlement," the community council stated, noting that support teams have been mobilized to assist the Perel family. The statement included a biblical quote reflecting the community's mix of grief and resolve: "Rejoice, O nations, with His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants."

Both soldiers served as tank crew members in the 401st Armored Division, known as the Iron Tracks Division, which has been engaged in some of the heaviest fighting in northern Gaza. Perel was posthumously promoted from Corporal to Sergeant, a common IDF practice honoring soldiers who fall in combat.

The incident also left a tank officer seriously wounded. Military sources indicate he has received medical treatment, and his family has been notified of his condition.

This latest loss brings into sharp focus the ongoing dangers faced by IDF troops in Gaza, particularly armored units operating in dense urban areas. The Iron Tracks Division has played a crucial role in the ground operation, which entered its sixteenth month following the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Since Sunday, six soldiers have been killed in battle in the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, Sergeant Major Ido Samiach, 20, from Ganei Tikva, fell in battle in the northern part of the Strip, and the day before that, two fighters from the elite company of the 932nd Battalion in the Nahal Brigade fell: the company commander, Dvir Zion Revah, and his deputy, Eitan Israel Shiknazi.

May their memories be blessed and may their families be comforted with the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.