Sergeant Ohad Yaari, 21 years old from Rehovot, a soldier in the Shaked Battalion, Givati Brigade, was killed on Friday during an operational activity in southern Lebanon.
According to a report by Doron Kadosh, the military correspondent for the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, the late Ya'ari was killed yesterday at approximately 1:00 PM, by a bullet fired by his friend, in the village of Zutar a-Sharqiya in southern Lebanon.
The incident occurred inside a building in the Lebanese village. The building is the 'brigade headquarters' of the Givati Brigade commander, meaning the forward headquarters where the brigade commander sits and from which he leads the fighting of the forces in the village.
The circumstances surrounding the bullet's ejection from the weapon are still being investigated, after the Military Police launched an investigation, and upon completion, the findings will be forwarded to the Military Prosecutor's Office for examination.
His funeral will take place on Sunday at 12:00, at the Military Cemetery in Rehovot.
He is survived by his parents, Naama and David, and his three brothers, Moshe, Amitai and Dvir.
Ohad is the nephew of Yehoshua Sherman, the father of Yehuda Shmuel Sherman, who was murdered about two months ago in a terrorist attack in northern Samaria.
Rehovot Mayor Matan Deal: "This week begins with bad news. Alongside the national loss and the pain of an entire people, Ohad's fall is also a personal and particularly painful loss for me. The members of the Yaari family, dear, beloved and close to my heart, are my personal friends. Since the bad news was announced, my heart refuses to believe, and there are no words that can express the depth of the pain and the magnitude of the breakup.
""The Yaari family, my beloved friends, at this difficult time, I and all the residents of Rehovot surround you with love, embrace you and share in your deep sorrow. The entire city bows its head and grieves with you the immense loss.".
The Rehovot Municipality stated: "Dear Yaari family, together with all residents of Rehovot, we embrace you in your most difficult time, share in their deep sorrow and send you our deepest condolences. The public is invited to come with Israeli flags and pay their last respects on the road leading to the cemetery, at the intersection of Menachem Begin-Gorodisky streets. May his memory be blessed.".
The residents' statement said: "We share in the deep sorrow of the Sherman family from Mead Binyamin and embrace Yaakov and Tirza, upon learning of the difficult news of the fall this morning in Lebanon of their grandson, Ohad Yaari, a soldier in the Givati Brigade. Our sincere condolences to Itamar and Zofi Sherman, to Gideon and Ronit Sherman and to all the family members.".
