Hundreds of mourners gathered Wednesday evening to lay to rest Staff Sgt. Danilo Mocanu, a 20-year-old soldier from the Golani Brigade, who was killed a day earlier in southern Gaza when an explosive device detonated and caused a building to collapse.
The funeral was held at the military cemetery in Holon, near Tel Aviv. Mocanu’s father stood weeping over his son’s grave, thanking the crowd — many of whom had never met his son — for attending. “Thank God for giving me a son like this,” he said. “Forgive me, Danilo. Poor boy—why did they take him so young? Thank you all for coming. I can't go on.” His brother delivered a eulogy in Russian.
Mocanu, who was his father’s only child, was not required to serve in a combat role but volunteered and persuaded his father to sign the necessary waiver. He served in the Golani Brigade’s exposure-and-strike company, which was operating under the 7th Armored Brigade’s 82nd Battalion.
A preliminary military investigation found that the unit entered a building Tuesday afternoon in an eastern neighborhood of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, without prior intelligence suggesting it was suspicious. The operation was part of the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) ongoing ground maneuver near the Gaza border, in the current phase of Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
Before entering, the unit deployed dogs from the IDF's Oketz canine unit and small reconnaissance drones, neither of which detected signs of danger. Once the soldiers reached the fourth floor, a powerful explosive device detonated, causing a partial collapse that killed Mocanu and lightly wounded another soldier.
Lt. Col. (res.) Harel Verber, speaking on behalf of the IDF, praised Mocanu for his dedication and professionalism. “You chose meaningful service, helped your fellow soldiers in Gaza, and always cared for others before yourself,” he said. “We vow to continue until the last hostage is freed and Hamas is defeated.”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Mocanu’s former commander described him as “the heart of the unit” and thanked him for his sacrifice and the values he brought from home. Holon Mayor Shay Kenan also paid tribute, calling him a “hero of Israel” and recalling how teachers remembered him as a high-achieving student who insisted on combat service out of a sense of duty. “An entire city mourns with you,” Kenan said. “Danilo will never be forgotten.”
Mocanu is the second Israeli soldier to die during the current stage of the military operation in Gaza. He is survived by his parents, Vicki and Yon, and two half-siblings on his mother’s side.