Sergeant Major Nave Habsush Killed in Combat in Southern Lebanon

Binyamin Regional Council announced with deep sorrow that Staff Sgt. Nave Habsush, 20, from Givat Binyamin in the Adam community, was killed in combat in southern Lebanon. He was the son of Haim and Einav Habsush, both council employees, and grew up in Adam, where he studied before attending the Beit Yatir pre-military academy.

Habsush enlisted in the Armored Corps and served as a tank commander in Battalion 52 of the 401st Brigade, after recently completing a tank commanders’ course. He had planned to continue on to officers’ training. In recent months he had been fighting in Lebanon as part of his unit.

His father, Haim, who is deputy commander of the Yiftach Reserve Brigade (11), said Nave was especially loved and always ready to help others. “He was simply a good kid. Everyone loved him. He always gave in, helped and contributed. He was an angel walking here with us,” he said. Haim added that Nave was proud of his service, describing it as a real mission and saying, “He was very proud of what he was doing. Being on the front line. He felt very meaningful.”

According to the family, Nave last visited home about two weeks ago, then spent Shabbat with his grandparents after a long period without seeing them because of operational service. At 11 p.m. yesterday he messaged his father that he might come home on Sunday, and asked him not to tell his mother in case it did not work out. About an hour and 15 minutes later, the tank he was in struck an explosive device and he was killed. Habsush is the third fallen resident of Givat Binyamin and the 64th casualty from the Binyamin Regional Council since the war began. He leaves behind his parents, two sisters, numerous friends, and a grieving community. Council head Israel Ganz said Habsush was “among the best of the sons of this land,” and funeral details will be announced later.