Friends: Gilad won't play his new piano

On the Israel Defense Forces' most deadly day since the onset of the fighting in Lebanon, in which 15 reserve soldiers were killed, an anti-tank missile fired by Hizbullah hit a tank and completely destroyed it. The names of two of the casualties were cleared for publication Thursday morning.

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"I had a bad feeling the entire day, I was in Ashdod and all the way back I heard about casualties. My eldest son called me and said 'don't worry, it's guys from Maglan.' I calmed down a bit, but then in the evening the army representatives came," said Micha, the father of Captain Gilad Stukelman, who was killed by Hizbullah fire on the tank Wedneday.

Micha and Rachel Stukelman left Moshav Gitit in the Jordan Rift Valley 19 years ago and moved to the prestigious community settlement of Timrat in the Jezreel Valley. Gilad grew up and was educated in Timrat and graduated from the high school in Moshav Nahalal.

He was drafted and served at the armor corps, following the footsteps of his big brother. He graduated from an armor officers' course and was released from the army with the rank of first lieutenant.

After he was released Gilad traveled in Canada, and when he returned to began working as air steward in El Al. he planned to begin economic and East Asia studies next year.

While he was in New York, he received a text message that he had been called up to reserve duty, and immediately returned to Israel.

"He was a music fan. Only a week ago he bought a piano and didn't manage to even play it. He loved horses, wrote songs and played together with his fathers," friends said on Wednesday.

Gilad was survived by his parents Micha and Rachel and three brothers: Eliran, 29, who was also called up by the army; Yarden, 19, who is on compulsory service; and Yair, 10.

'A person like Igor is hard to find'

A man of gold, that is how Sergeant Major Igor Koblik, 26, of Nazareth Illit, who was killed in an incident in Aita al-Shaab, was defined by his friends, relatives and neighbors. 

"I work with many people, but a person like Igor is difficult to find," said one of the neighbors, Yaacov Schneider.

Igor was born in Belarus and immigrated to Israel at the beginning of the 1990s with his parents and sister. Seven years ago the family moved to live in their new home at the Har Yona neighborhood.

The neighbors who flocked to the family's home said that their door was always open and that the entire neighborhood knew that the Koblik family has good children who are always ready to help when needed.

Igor served at the paratroopers unit and after being released from compulsory duty he began studying engineering while working as a security guard of senior officials. He was called up several days ago, and his father was very worried and anxious in the past few days.

The family members received the tragic news on Wednesday afternoon. Many friends of the father, who works at the Knafit factory in Migdal Haemek, arrived at the family home to offer their condolences.

"Two days ago I saw Igor's motorcycle parked. I asked what he was doing here and I was told that also Igor was called up," said the neighbor Schneider. "This is a harsh blow. He was simply a good guy who was very attached to the family. His mother was very proud of him."

Igor was survived by his parents Lev and Tatiana and his 18-year-old sister Yulia.

Didn't know his dream came true

Sergeant Major David Shmidov, 25, of Jerusalem, was killed a day before a message arrived, which would have fulfilled his dream. His parents said: "Today they called us from Bezalel, to say he was accepted for architecture studies, but now everything is ruined, life is ruined."

David was killed by a mortar bomb during an IDF operation in the village of Kila in southern Lebanon. He immigrated with his family ten years ago from Belarus.

His parents tried to dissuade him from returning to the battlefield, but he was determined in his decision.

David's father said: "He received a Decree 8 (reserve draft) to return to reserves on Friday, and came home on Sunday. I told him to stay at home, but he didn't agree and said he wanted to be with his friends. He has many friends from reserves and they met all the time. He loved his country very much."

His mother added: "He returned after a short time, I didn't manage to see him because I was at work, and now I will never see him again."

David's father also said that the funeral has been postponed because David's older brother is in Lebanon. "In the army they said they can't take him out now because a battle is taking place."

Family members and many of David's friends arrived at the family home. One of the mother's friends said: "On the Ninth of Av she decided to fast so that all of the soldiers will come back safely. She didn't tell us her sons were taking part in the war because she didn't want to worry us. This is a family that loves the land of Israel, a quiet family."

David left behind his parents and a brother.

He was a fighter, he was the world

Captain Yoni Shmoukher, 30, of Beit Nehamia, served as an officer in the Engineering Brigade of the Paratroopers.

"He was a fighter. When he received Decree 8, he treated it like he was going to work tomorrow. It is simply impossible to describe the loss. All of us are completely broke," said his friend. Dudi Tamir.

A heavy atmosphere of mourning descended on the village as news of his death became known. Only two days ago, after he finished training and said he was going to Lebanon, he arrived at home for a last visit. He sat with his wife, Shlomit, and members of his family, who lived near the couple, and told of his military service.

His father in law, Avi Ringel-Hoffman, said: "He knew exactly what was happening, but he trusted his friends and knew the work had to be done."

Those close to him said Yoni was a man of nature who loved to go out on trips in Israel and in the world. Just a year ago he returned from a long trip with his wife in China. After completing a BA in physics, he continued on to a masters degree which he was due to shortly complete.

Tamir added: "Yoni was the world, he was good and smart. The most amazing connection I've seen was between Yoni and his wife Shlomit. He loved to travel, ride his bicycle, and tried to encourage us too, but it was too much for us and a little hard."

Yoni left behind his parents and three siblings. His father is abroad due to work, and received the bitter news of his son's death in India. The funeral will take place on Friday, after the father returns to Israel.

Parents drew strength from son

The news of the falling of Sergeant Major Noam Goldman, 27, of Tel Aviv reached his father, Tzvika, while he was offering support at the family of home of Sergeant Itamar Tsur of Beer Tuvia. The city officer waited for the father at his home and notified him that his son Noam was also killed, by an anti-tank missile in the village of Aita al-Shaab in Lebanon.

Tzvika said: "Three weeks ago he left his apartment in Tel Aviv and moved in with me. A week ago he received a phone call from the army. He set out for the reserves with unusual motivation because of the war. He said nothing could happen to him. He called himself in text messages with me the 'Tibetan mountain leopard.' When I asked him why, he said he was in a mountainous area in which leopards live."

Noam made contact with his father every time he entered and left Lebanon. Two days they had their last conversation, before he went in again. "He asked me if I heard about the number of terrorists killed in the village of Razaya and I answered in the negative. He told me, 'if you read about it, we were there.'"

Tvzika added: "He was in a good mood, optimistic. I and his mother drew strength from him." Noam left behind his parents and a brother.

To be buried on his 23rd birthday

First Sergeant Nir Cohen, 22, of Maccabim-Reut, was supposed to celebrate his 23rd birthday on Friday. Instead of planned birthday party, his family members are forced to pay their last respects to him and to take part in a funeral procession.

Nir was killed in a tank which absorbed an anti-tank missile strike in the western section of south Lebanon.

In recent days Nir was preoccupied with arranging the new apartment he rented in Tel Aviv, to which he was supposed to move in the next few days.

Nir led groups of teenagers from abroad who arrived to visit Israel.

This week he arrived Decree Eight (calling for reserve duty) and gladly set out. Family members said: "He was supposed to serve as a medic but he told his commanders he missed driving in the tank, and thus received the mission, from which he did not return."

His sister Noa said: "Since he set out for reserves we were worried about him, and he called every day to calm us down when there were incidents. Yesterday, throughout the whole day I had a bad feeling. When I tried to catch him I couldn't. At night when the officers of the army came I wasn't surprised."

Nir asked his good friend Hadar Nofer to look after his father. "A few days ago in a chilling conversation he told me he was going into Lebanon. Before we finished the conversation, he told me, 'you must say goodbye, I may not come back.'"

Nir left behind his parents and two siblings.

Efrat Weiss, Sharon Roffe-Ofir, Ilan Marciano, Eli Senyor and Israel Moskovich contributed to the report