Capt. Eitan Oster's heroism will inspire future generations - editorial

Capt. Eitan Itzhak Oster, 22, a squad commander in the Egoz commando unit from Modi’in, was the first Israeli soldier killed in combat against Hezbollah since the IDF began a ground operation in southern Lebanon last week.

Oster, who was buried at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday, is survived by his parents and six siblings. Before entering Lebanon, he sent his family a video message in Hebrew that they released for publication.

“There is no one prouder than I to lead fighters in the hope of completing our mission,” Oster states in the video. “We are in the midst of a difficult war in which our young generation is standing with supreme bravery, knowing clearly what they are fighting for – a war that, despite the high costs, we have the duty to end with a decisive outcome – for the sake of future generations.”

Oster reassures his family that he and his troops are ready for the war against Hezbollah.“To my dear family. GK Chesterton once said that ‘The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.’”

Reflecting on a recent visit to Israel’s northern border communities, which have been turned into “ghost towns” over the past year due to ongoing Hezbollah rocket fire, he says: “The North is burned and abandoned. This was one of the hardest things for me to see. We prepared a lot, and these are the values I was taught at home. The time has come, and our mission is to enable the residents of the North to return to their homes.”

Calling his military mission a “historic opportunity” that he is proud to carry out so that his young nieces and nephews aren’t forced to deal with this burden when they grow up, Oster says: “I embrace and recognize the weight of the responsibility on my shoulders and the responsibility I have for all of the soldiers under my command.“

In the spirit of the High Holy Days, the former student at Yeshiva Ohr Torah Stone apologizes to anyone he might have harmed over the past year and wishes his family a good New Year. “Until victory! I love you all,” he declares at the end of the video, which now serves as his powerful ethical will and lasting legacy.

Oster’s words ring loud and clear as we salute our soldiers fighting in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip a year after the horrific Hamas attack on October 7, reminding us of the real reasons for the just war Israel is fighting. He was the first of eight soldiers killed in Lebanon since last Monday, while another two were killed in an Iraqi drone attack on the Golan Heights.

Israeli government honors Oster

Several ministers and Knesset members, including Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, paid tribute to Oster’s “extreme bravery,” sharing the video of his last words. “Eitan’s words pierce through our hearts and are a moral compass for all of us,” Smotrich said. “I give a huge hug to his family. The people of Israel salute him.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement extending his “deepest condolences to all the families of our heroes who fell in Lebanon,” reiterating Oster’s message. “We’re in the heart of a grueling war against Iran’s axis of evil, aimed at destroying us. That will not happen because we shall stand together – and with God’s help, we shall emerge victorious together,” he said. “We will return our hostages in the South, return our residents in the North, and ensure the eternity of Israel."

“We are being challenged by an empire of evil emanating from Tehran, and therefore, we are fighting,” President Isaac Herzog said, urging the international community to help in Israel’s effort to “bring calm to our border with Lebanon, to enable our citizens to go back home, to bring a better future for the people of Lebanon, and bring our hostages back home.”

As we pray for the forces fighting in Lebanon and elsewhere and offer heartfelt condolences to the families of the fallen, we are inspired by the heroism and the words of Capt. Oster. “Until victory!”