Captain Roy Beit Yaakov: Few words, brave actions

Captain Roy Beit Yaakov was named as one of the five IDF soldiers killed in the friendly fire catastrophe in the northern Gaza Strip, which was cleared for publication on Thursday.

Beit Yaakov, 20, from Eli, was an officer in Battalion 202 of the Paratroopers Brigade.

In an interview with Ynet Avidan, Roy’s father Avidan said: “He was a sweet boy at home and, on the other hand, professional and precise in the army. Roy is not a boy who talks too much – he just does and acts, and very quietly.”

He had seven siblings: Shahar, Yonatan, Eitan, Ya’ara, Yuval, Na’ama and Inbal. He studied at the HaZor’im yeshiva high school, and later at the pre-army mechina program of Eli, the 21st casualty of the institution since the start of the war.

Avidan was doing reserve service in the Gaza Strip at the same time as his son, and managed to meet up with him at some point in Khan Yunis.

He was buried in the Har Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. 

The incident

Two IDF tanks killed five IDF soldiers and injured seven more in a friendly fire incident on Wednesday when they fired on a forward IDF battalion headquarters in Jabalya in northern Gaza.

The tanks were said to be under extreme pressure from dozens of rocket-propelled grenade attacks in the area.

The other four soldiers killed in the incident were:

Sergeant Ilan Cohen, 20, from Karmiel, was a soldier in Battalion 202, Paratroopers Brigade.

Sergeant Daniel Chemu, 20, from Tiberias, was a soldier in Battalion 202, Paratroopers Brigade.

Staff Sergeant Gilad Arye Boim, 22, from Karnei Shomron, was a soldier in Battalion 202, Paratroopers Brigade.

Staff Sergeant Betzlel David Shashuah, 21, from Tel Aviv, was a soldier in Battalion 202, Paratroopers Brigade.