Shahar Friedman

First Sergeant Shahar Friedman (20) from Jerusalem, a fighter in the 101st Battalion of the Parachute Brigade, was killed during the weekend in the battles in the northern Gaza Strip. Noya, Shahar's sister, spoke about his special character: "Shahar was a child at heart, he had an extraordinary sensitivity to others. He was a madrich in Bnei Akiva in Shevet Yuval, a shevet for children with special needs. He would help every child, person in distress or an old man he saw on the street - he would immediately approach him and help him pick up the baskets."
His sister also said: "Shahar was really the glue of the family and always wrapped us in love. In the last three years he had a girlfriend and the relationship between them was very special. They were even supposed to fly on the big trip and they were so excited. Shahar was on discharge leave, and on October 7, he was called up and took a very significant part in the fight for the liberation of the settlements surrounding Gaza. He presented to us with very strong images and said that if something were to happen to him, he wanted us to be happy. We visited him several days before the ground entry, Shahar dreamed of being freed and continuing to contribute to Israel's security even after his military service."
Journalist Avi Issacharoff published that Shahar was the partner of his stepdaughter Noga. "On Thursday, October 5, he went on discharge leave, on Friday we celebrated with a family meal, and the next day he returned to the army," said Issacharoff. "For the past three years, Shahar was a member of our house, a member of a religious family from Jerusalem who fell in love with Noga, a secular woman from the Sharon, and since then these two beautiful children have been close together.
"They had a million dreams and had already bought a plane ticket to the East to fly together after they finished the army. Shahar, the handsome young boy, the man so funny, wanted to conquer the world and then join the Shin Bet. He loved life and devoured it (and also steaks which he loved so much). He won everyone over with his sincerity and his smile and was the sweetest thing imaginable. Always there, always helping, even on vacations from the army."
Issacharoff wrote further: "A few days after the war started, I was able to reach him while the fighting in Otef was going on. That was the last time I saw this wonderful boy. What did his sister say about him? He liked to feed everyone and make us fatter. My beloved and dear Shahar, went to rest Otef two weeks ago and his girlfriend Noga came to visit him. And that was their last meeting. A young love cut short by enmity. May his memory be blessed."