Soldier’s bereaved girlfriend: ‘He loved his country’

“He promised me he’d come back next week. He said he would take care of himself, but he didn’t,” Yigal’s girlfriend said.

By Aaron Sull, World Israel News

The girlfriend of Amit Ben Yigal, an IDF soldier who was murdered by Palestinian terrorists on Tuesday, told Channel 13 how much her boyfriend loved both her and his country.

“He loved his country so much,” Osher Hanum told the Israeli news outlet late Tuesday.

“We spoke last night, and he told me ‘I love you and I promise you I’ll take care of myself.’ This morning I was notified that he was dead – my love,” she said. “He fought so hard to be there, he wanted to be in the Golani Brigade, he was so proud of his country. He was a person with a very pure heart.”

Ben Yigal was killed on Tuesday morning during an arrest operation in the Palestinian Authority-controlled town of Ya’bad, west of Jenin in northern Samaria.

Just as the IDF soldiers were leaving a large rock was dropped by terrorists standing on the roof of the village’s last house. Even though Ben Yigal was wearing a helmet at the time, the blow from the rock was too strong. The 21-year-old was immediately evacuated to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injury.

“He was excited about the arrest (operation), he said it was for the country’s sake. He was murdered – he didn’t just die – they murdered him there. They need to avenge him, they need to do something,” Osher said.

“He promised me he’d come back next week. He said he would take care of himself, but he didn’t,” she added, crying.

Following the news of Yigal’s murder, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett promised to bring the killers to justice.

“The IDF and security forces will apprehend the lowly terrorists responsible for this, and we will bring them to justice,” Bennett said.

“In the name of the defense establishment, I want to send condolences to the Ben Yigal family. May his memory be blessed,” he said.