Staff-Sergeant Arbel Reich was killed
Thursday morning during an IDF operation in the refugee camp al-Bureij in Gaza.
Arbel, a 21-year-old from Yuvalim in the North, had been planning a military career. His high-school teacher, Ruti Givati, said that nobody doubted that 20 years away, he would still be in the army.
His friends, who have approximately six more months until they are discharged from the military, were released from their units to attend his funeral. "They all came to my house before going to one of the friends," Givati said. "They need to cry, spend time together and draw strength from each other. This is a great shock for them."
She said that he stood out among his classmates. "When they coined the phrase 'salt of the earth,' it was for people like him. He was decent, sensitive and always willing to help."
Hagit Baruch, Arbel's high-school literature teacher said: "Arbel loved life and loved his friends. School did not really interest him. He only decided to take the bagrut (matriculation) exams towards the end of his senior year."
After applying himself for several months he managed to pass all the exams successfully, she remembered.
Arbel is survived by his parents Yael and Moshe, and two sisters, Moran and Einav.
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