Father Recounts Final Message From Sgt. Nave Habsosh, Killed in Lebanon Tank Incident

Sgt. Nave Habsosh, 20, from Geva Binyamin, was identified as the fourth soldier whose name was released from Friday’s tank incident in Lebanon. In an interview with Kan News on Reshet Bet, his father, Haim, described the family’s shock after soldiers knocked on their door in the middle of the night and said they had been living in “an endless storm of emotions” after losing “the most precious thing a family can lose.”

Haim said Nave was “a child of light, kind, humble, and loving of people,” and that he always noticed others before himself. He said his son had completed a tank commanders’ course a few months earlier and wanted to continue to officers’ training, but chose first to gain more operational combat experience. “Nave did not fight so that we would be afraid,” the father said. “He fought so that we could continue living.”

He also used the interview to call for unity, saying the enemy does not distinguish between different kinds of Israelis. He noted that Nave’s tank crew included a kibbutz-born company commander from Beit Hashita, a friend from Herzliya, and another soldier from Hod HaSharon, calling it a “melting pot” and saying that is how people should continue to live.

Haim recounted Nave’s last message, sent about an hour and 15 minutes before the incident. Nave wrote that there was a chance he would be home on Sunday, but asked his father not to tell his mother because “I do not want Mom to be sad.” The family waited until early morning for identification, and Haim said, “He is coming home today. He is not coming back as we wanted, but he is coming back.” He added that both he and Nave’s older sister served during the war, at times in Gaza, and that he met Nave there. The family also found notebooks in which Nave wrote about his outlook, including a line about wanting to do and contribute as much as possible. His WhatsApp status read, “Do not cry because it is over, smile because it happened,” and Haim said they also found an earlier line from the end of 12th grade: “Live as if you will die tomorrow.”