Friends mourn fallen companion IDF soldier Nadav Elchanan Knoller

Master Sergeant (res.) Nadav Elchanan Knoller, 30, from Jerusalem, a sergeant in Battalion 121 of the 8th Brigade fell in combat in the Gaza Strip, the IDF said on Tuesday.

Friends of Knoller expressed their sadness and condolences on social media following the IDF announcement.

Knoller had a bachelor's degree in communication, specializing in digital and marketing. According to his LinkedIn profile, Knoller was passionate about the subject and spearheaded hundreds of campaigns on varying topics.

Knoller's friend Guy Cohen, who completed his IDF training with Knoller, stated, "This cliché of the best just keeps proving itself true." He further stated that "the best" are not chosen by God but rather "always" choose to be on the front line.

"Rest in peace, my friend. We will have to continue without you," Cohen concluded in his post on Facebook.

Passionate about defending his country

Another acquaintance of Knoller, Daya Assulin, expressed her feelings on Facebook, stating they had just recently spoken, and Knoller stressed that defending the country is where he is needed most. "Just a week ago, I asked you where you were when we needed you most, and you replied with, 'Here I am,' along with a picture of the entrance to (an Israeli village,)" Assulin wrote on Facebook.

Like Knoller's friend Cohen, Assulin also termed Knoller "the best," saying that god chose him as a result. "Thank you for the privilege of knowing you, learning from you, and spending two whole years in your company," Assulin further wrote, expressing her sadness at Knoller's passing.