Dalia Navon, the grandmother of Ittai Fogel, who tragically lost his life on the eve of Yom Kippur in the Gaza Strip, and Elkana Navon, who fell in Jenin just 42 days prior, shared the emotional moment she received the devastating news — for the second time in a matter of weeks.

Speaking to Galei Tzahal, the bubby began by paying tribute to her grandson Ittai, who fell near the Philadelphi Corridor: “We are shortly about to bury another grandson in the land of our country, a magical and perfect child, with beautiful eyes, smart, clever. He was very special, a good student, loved to play music. He spoke beautifully, grew up surrounded by family love and support.”

She reflected on the deep bond shared by the cousins. “They enlisted at the same time, March 23. Ittai’s brother also enlisted then, so I had three grandchildren in the army. But on October 7th, everything shifted and the army’s plans changed.”

Dalia emphasized the commitment both Elkana and Ittai had to their missions. “All my grandchildren, especially Elkana and Ittai, were steadfast in their duty. They knew exactly where they were headed, and they understood the significance of what they were doing.”

She recalled Ittai’s determination to enter Gaza with a tank and mentioned Elkana’s desire to search for the hostages. “Elkana wanted so much to go inside Gaza because he wanted to find the hostages. ‘You’ll see grandma, everything will be fine, we’ll fight for our country and our people,’ he said. It gives me comfort and pride.”

Describing the heart-wrenching knock on the door on Erev Yom Kippur, she shared, “I was preparing for Yom Kippur at home. Eran, Ittai’s brother, was with me, so they had to inform him as well. During this war, they have informed the grandparents too.”

She recounted the moment she heard the devastating news: “I was sitting at home when I heard that dreadful knock at the door. I opened it, and they asked for Eran. I thought they were calling him up for an emergency. I asked, ‘What happened? Are you taking him?’ They responded, ‘We are not taking him,’ and told me to sit down.”

“I asked, ‘Why did you come?’” Dalia continued. “And then, the cries of despair came out of me. I didn’t need an explanation; I understood immediately. I had already gone through this 42 days ago.”

Rabbi Aharon Cohen, the rov of the Yakir settlement, paid tribute to Ittai during an interview with Radio 103FM. He said, “I was fortunate to know Ittai from the moment of his birth. He was close friends with my son.”

“He would often join us for Shabbos meals on Friday evenings. He was an incredibly gifted, brilliant young man who loved music. He was also a leading counselor here, and a loyal friend to his peers.”

Reflecting on the loss, Rabbi Cohen added, “It’s an indescribable pain. When I heard it was from the Fogel family, it broke my heart.” He also referred to Ittai’s cousin Elkana, who had fallen just a few weeks earlier during an operation in Jenin: “The gap between him and Elkana is forty days. It’s a tremendous price of loss that, sadly, the people of Israel have been bearing this past year. Thank God, the family remains strong and full of faith.”

{Matzav.com Israel}