Best Friends in Life, Side-by-Side in Death
Sniper Tragedy: Final Promise of Fallen Soldier Revealed at Heartbreaking Funeral
A young IDF soldier was killed in Gaza, fulfilling his promise to continue fighting after his best friend's death. His sacrifice is mourned by hundreds who gathered to honor his bravery and captivating smile.
Staff Sergeant Chalachew Shimon Demalash, 21, of Be'er Sheva, a fighter in the Nahal Brigade's 932nd Battalion, was laid to rest yesterday in the city’s military cemetery, after being killed by a Hamas sniper in Gaza City. Hundreds attended the funeral for the young man, who friends described as a "brave kid with a captivating smile."
His death is particularly poignant, as Demalash was the close friend of Sergeant Ermias Makuraw, also from Be'er Sheva and a Nahal fighter, who was killed in a battle in the northern Gaza Strip a year prior.
Einaw, a close friend and relative of Demalash, shared the heartbreaking connection between the two soldiers. "He was a good friend of my late brother who fell in the war," Einaw recounted. "They enlisted together. My brother fell, and he fell a year and four months later. He was a brave kid, with a captivating smile, a good friend you couldn't ignore." Einaw revealed the deep commitment Demalash felt to his friend's memory: "We, his friends, told him to leave combat after we lost my brother, and he replied, 'How can I leave combat after you lost your brother? I need to fight for him, for his memory.'"
An initial military probe suggests Demalash was fatally shot while manning a guard post at an army encampment. His death brings the military's toll in its renewed Gaza City offensive to two.
Be'er Sheva Mayor Rubik Danilovich eulogized Demalash, noting his journey from immigrating to Israel to becoming a dedicated combat soldier. "Your faith began with your aliyah to the land of Israel," Danilovich said. "You longed to serve in the IDF, despite the difficulties and challenges." The mayor recalled meeting Demalash and his battalion, saying, "I saw you, with fire in your eyes, determined to go and release our captured brothers and sisters and defend our country."
Danilovich connected Demalash’s sacrifice to his friend Makuraw, stating, "You and your friends will be remembered as those who saved the State of Israel. You are engraved in the nation's golden book. You, Chalachu, are a source of pride for the family, for the glorious community, for the city of Be'er Sheva, and for the entire State of Israel."
His comrade-in-arms, Maor Ohayon, spoke through tears at the service. "You were our symbol, the man of the platoon, the one who always knew when to make us laugh, when to cry, and when to make a little noise. You were our heart." Ohayon's words captured the suddenness of the loss: "Just a week ago, we stood on the stage and shouted to the skies, and now you ran away without saying goodbye. I didn't know this would be the last moment."