Soldier wounded in Gaza undergoes surgery
Guy Elmakayes, who sustained serious shrapnel wounds during incident in which two soldiers were killed in serious but stable condition, connected to respirator. 'I hope his condition will improve in the next few hours,' Soroka hospital director says
The IDF soldier who was injured in Friday's incident in Gaza remains in serious condition on Saturday after undergoing a complex surgical procedure during the night.
Guy Elmakayes was evacuated to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba with multiple shrapnel injuries to the chest and abdomen, is currently connected to a respirator.
Dr. Gadi Shaked, head of the trauma unit at Soroka, said the soldier is in serious but stable condition, adding that there is no immediate danger to his life.
He said Elmakayes is awake and communicating with those around him.
During Friday's incident, 32-year-old Major Eliraz Peretz and 21-year-old Staff Sergeant Ilan Sviatkovsky were killed in an exchange of fire with terrorists near the Israel-Gaza border fence, within Palestinian territory.
"The shrapnel hit some of Guy's internal organs, and I hope his condition will improve in the next few hours," Soroka Director Dr. Michael Sherf told Ynet on Saturday, adding that some of the shrapnel penetrated the chest area, near the heart.
"I am always optimistic," said Dr. Sherf, "particularly after Operation Cast Lead, when many soldiers who were admitted to the hospital in serious condition eventually recovered from their injuries."
The injured soldier's parents arrived from Bat Yam to be by his side. While at the hospital they visited the Bedouin tracker who sustained light injuries to his leg in the incident, which, as far as IDF casualties are concerned, was the most severe since the Gaza war a little over a year ago.
"The decision by the IDF force to enter Gaza and chase after the terrorists was correct; this is what is expected of fighters in such an incident," a senior army official told Ynet late Friday.
However, an initial investigation into the incident revealed that some tactical mistakes were made by the IDF force after it entered Palestinian territory.
