Personal Effects of Israeli Armor Officer Killed in Gaza Returned to Family After Nearly Three Years

By עידן בלומהוף

Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba

Center

Hebrew · 2 newsrooms covering

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The family of Captain Eitan Fish, killed in Gaza in December 2023, received his personal kit bag nearly three years later, bringing emotional closure. The bag was found in a rented apartment recently vacated by owners returning from the US. Fish was killed alongside two comrades by an anti-tank missile near Shuja'iyya.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Captain Eitan Fish was killed in Gaza combat in December 2023 alongside two fellow soldiers.
Nearly three years later, his family received his personal kit bag unexpectedly from a neighbor.
The bag was found in a rented apartment whose owners had returned from the US.
The kit bag contained various personal military items, evoking strong emotions in the family.
The family has received other mementos from Fish's service and asked for more memorabilia.
Fish was remembered as a talented artist, musician, and inclusive leader by his father.

Nearly three years after Captain Eitan Fish, a 23-year-old Israeli armor officer from the settlement of Peduel, was killed in combat during the Gaza war, his family received a personal item from his military service. On Sunday night, the Fish family was unexpectedly contacted by a neighbor who returned Eitan's kit bag, which had been stored in a rented apartment. The apartment's owners had been living in the United States and only recently returned to Israel, discovering the bag labeled with Eitan's name and contacting the family.

Eitan's father, David Fish, described the return of the kit bag as "a message from the world beyond," expressing that it felt like a final greeting from his son, reminding them that he has not forgotten them. The bag contained various personal items from Eitan's service, including a vest, a flask, a sewing kit, gloves, a radio tube, and a notebook. David said the experience was deeply emotional and brought the family's loss vividly to life.

Since Eitan's death, the family has received several mementos from his military and personal life, such as gloves from a fellow soldier and a guitar keepsake. They have asked friends and acquaintances to continue sharing any memorabilia they might have. David also shared memories of Eitan as a talented artist, musician, and basketball player who valued inclusivity and leadership.

Captain Eitan Fish was killed on December 4, 2023, alongside two comrades from Battalion 53 of the Barak Brigade: Sergeant Yakir Yedidya Snukolevski (21) from Migdal Oz and First Sergeant Tuval Yaakov Tzenaani (20) from Kiryat Gat. The three soldiers died from an anti-tank missile strike near the Shuja'iyya neighborhood in Gaza.

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