After a mission based on precise intelligence, IDF forces successfully located and retrieved the body of Sergeant Shaked Dahan, of blessed memory, from the Gaza Strip. Shaked, a 19-year-old from Afula, fell in battle on October 7, 2023, the first day of the war.
Sergeant Shaked Dahan, of blessed memory, was a soldier in the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade (Golan Storm Formation). He fell at the age of 19 on October 7 while defending the Israel-Gaza border during Hamas’s surprise attack.
In a statement released by the Migdal HaEmek municipality, it was written: “The mayor and residents of Migdal HaEmek bow their heads and share in the deep sorrow of the dear Dahan family, with the discovery of the body of their son Shaked, who was murdered on October 7 while fighting and defending the people and the homeland, until the last drop of blood. His body was kidnapped to Gaza and was rescued last night.”
The IDF has not yet released official details, but from what is known at this stage, after complex intelligence and operational efforts, the security forces managed to locate the position of Shaked’s body within the Gaza Strip.
On the morning of October 7, Shaked’s battalion took up a position on the Gaza border. As the attack began, the tank Shaked was driving was hit by a roadside bomb. According to testimonies, Shaked managed to send a message to a friend: “Literally, purple rain, I swear” – a military expression describing a heavy rocket or artillery attack.
For 53 days since the start of the war, Shaked’s family lived in uncertainty about his fate. Although officially listed as missing, his father, Shimon Dahan, said he had a strong feeling that Shaked had fallen in battle on the first day of the war.
Shaked’s father, Shimon Dahan, previously said: “I will do everything in my power to bring Shaked to his final resting place. Only then can we close the circle we long for.” With the recovery of the body, the family can finally lay Shaked to rest and begin the process of mourning and remembrance.
The retrieval of Sergeant Shaked Dahan’s body represents a significant achievement for the security forces and brings some comfort to his family and the entire nation of Israel. It is an important step in the IDF’s commitment to bring all soldiers home, even those who have fallen in battle. Shaked Dahan will be remembered as a hero who gave his life defending the homeland, and bringing him to burial in Israel will allow his family and friends to mourn and remember him properly.
