“No Way—I’m Finishing Hamas”: Ronel Ben-Moshe, 20, Laid To Rest After Fiery Gaza Attack

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is reeling from the tragic death of 20-year-old Staff Sergeant Ronel Ben-Moshe, one of seven soldiers killed yesterday, (Tuesday) in a deadly ambush in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. The attack, which saw an improvised explosive device (IED) detonate on a Puma armored personnel carrier (APC), set the vehicle ablaze, claiming the lives of the entire crew from the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion.

Ben-Moshe, a Negev machine gunner from Rishon Lezion, was known as “the relentless smiler” among his peers, his infectious optimism enduring even amid the chaos of war. “After a pre-military program, he enlisted and went straight into Gaza after a short training,” his cousin Dvir Sassi recounted. “We called him a war child.” A brilliant student and social standout, Ronal’s determination shone through as he insisted on returning to the battlefield despite his family’s desperate pleas. “We tried scaring him off—nearly two years in Gaza is enough—but he said, ‘No way, we’re about to finish Hamas,’” Sassi added.

The incident unfolded during an operation when a Hamas operative attached the IED to the APC, triggering an explosion that engulfed the vehicle in flames. Efforts to extinguish the fire and identify the bodies took hours. Ronal’s loss has left a void in his community, where he served as a youth movement leader. Former student Yinav David mourned, “He was a kid who laughed at everything, a friend, not a commander—now the pain is unbearable.”

The eldest of six siblings, Ronal leaves behind parents Moshe and Revital, who face an agonizing farewell. He was buried today at 4:00 PM in Rishon Lezion’s military cemetery, where friends and family gathered to honor his sacrifice.

May his memory be a blessing, and may this interminable war be over soon.