IDF's Sole Body Identification Expert Shares Emotional Experience
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Captain (res.) Dr. Alon Barash, an IDF expert in identifying fallen soldiers, shared his experiences in a radio interview. He has been involved in locating missing persons since 2015 and has identified hundreds of bodies since October 7th. Barash described the emotional toll of his work, the importance of delivering truth to families, and a particularly moving encounter with the father of a fallen soldier he identified. He also noted the unique nature of his role within the IDF and the profound personal impact of the war.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- IDF expert Dr. Alon Barash described his role in identifying fallen soldiers and missing persons.
- Barash has served 900 reserve duty days and identified hundreds of bodies since October 7th.
- He emphasized delivering the truth to families and the emotional impact of his work.
- Barash recalled a significant encounter with the father of fallen observer Roni Eshel.
- His identification efforts for missing soldier Yehuda Katz span decades.
- Barash stated that in death, political and religious divisions cease to exist.
Captain (res.) Dr. Alon Barash, who has served 900 reserve duty days identifying and locating missing persons, gave his first interview to Esti Perez and Carmela Menashe on Kan News's "Ba'hatzi Hayom" radio program. Barash, who is also the head of the Anatomy Department at Bar-Ilan University's Faculty of Medicine, works within the IDF's identification and burial system. He previously received an exemption from reserve duty but returned in 2015 to focus on locating missing individuals, including those from the 1948 War of Independence. Currently, approximately 120 soldiers from 1948 remain unaccounted for, and the IDF continues its search.
Barash, who has been involved in related fields for 26 years, teaches anatomy and researches Neanderthals and archaeology. He stated that his work in identifying fallen soldiers is far removed from everyday life. Since October 7th, he has been actively involved in the war's identification efforts, having identified hundreds of bodies in the past three years. He described the moment of identification as one of satisfaction mixed with collective grief, emphasizing that no body is left unattended during the process, often involving holding hands or stroking a head.
His first case in the current war was identifying the observers killed at the Nachal Oz outpost. He highlighted the difficulty of facing families awaiting news and stressed the importance of delivering the truth without embellishment. Barash recalled a poignant encounter with Eyal Eshel, father of observer Roni Eshel, whom Barash had identified. Eshel, unaware of Barash's role, later expressed profound gratitude on air for Barash's dedication, calling him their "balm" and noting that Roni was the last to be identified after October 7th, based solely on DNA.
Barash also spoke about the challenge of knowing about tragic events, such as the deaths of 21 soldiers in Gaza building collapses, before the families are informed, describing this period as a "window of grace." He noted that while his team includes various professionals, he is the sole individual within the IDF specializing in this specific type of identification, distinct from the National Forensic Medicine Institute's work with civilians. Some identifications take short periods, while others, like that of missing soldier Yehuda Katz, can take decades, with efforts spanning from the First Lebanon War in 1982 until his eventual identification on August 18, 2026.
Barash admitted the war has profoundly changed him, making his return to work challenging due to lingering thoughts and the immense energy required. Despite the difficulties, he has never considered quitting, understanding the importance of providing closure to families. He concluded by stating that in death, there is no left or right, secular or religious, or distinctions between Jews, Muslims, or Druze.
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