Captain Y. - 23 years old

Captain Y wrote this letter to his family prior to him and his team taking part in the concentrated counterterrorism operational activities in the area of Jenin earlier this year. “If something gets complicated today, send this to my parents,” he instructed a fellow soldier. When Y fell while engaging in combat against terrorists in Nahal Oz on October 7, the soldier found the text from months before, and sent it to Y’s parents.

“Lots of thoughts are running around in my head, why us, why now, why there. Tension in the air, and so are dark jokes about who’ll come back and who won’t. So many things are being emphasized… Work slowly, be vigilant, always scan [your surroundings]. We know what we’re going towards, the enemy knows the field and is preparing surprises for us. 

Soon we’ll be standing in the troop gathering areas, receiving a final briefing before heading out with the clear notion (at least to me) that we are going on an operation we might not all come back from. 

Despite this, I look to the people behind me, and to my left and right, and I am very confident in us. We’re sharp, we’ve prepared well, and we have been in this area a number of times. I try to imagine the next few hours. 

To lead this, to be there first during the most complex part - that is exactly what you’ve taught me to do. And when my thoughts start running away from me, why us and why now, that’s what I think about, and suddenly the answer is very clear to me. 

To fight for this country, to lead this unit, it isn’t exceptional heroism - it’s the standard. And if I had to reshape my life, I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you. Y.”