Authorities name 44 soldiers, 34 police officers killed in Hamas attack

The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday published the names of 26 soldiers killed during fighting with Hamas terrorists on the border with the Gaza Strip during the past day.

Meanwhile, the Israel Police listed 30 officers who were killed confronting the terrorists.

At least 300 people were killed Saturday as Hamas terrorists in Gaza launched a war on Israel, infiltrating towns, rampaging through military positions, shooting travelers dead on roads and in their homes, and firing thousands of rockets at a wide swath of the country in a shocking assault. Terrorists also dragged dozens of soldiers and civilians into Gaza, where they are currently being held hostage.

Officials were still not certain of the total number of soldiers killed, along with the numbers of those taken captive in Gaza.

The IDF dead include:

Col. Jonathan Steinberg, 42, the commander of the Nahal Brigade.

Col. Jonathan Steinberg, the commander of the Nahal Brigade, in an undated photo (Israel Defense Forces)

Steinberg was killed Saturday morning during clashes with Hamas terrorists in the Kerem Shalom area near the border with the Gaza Strip, the military said.

Steinberg, from the southern town of Shomria, was en route to the site of clashes being managed by his subordinates when he was killed by a terrorist in an encounter.

Col. Roi Levy, 44, the commander of the Multidomain Unit, also known as the “Ghost” Unit, from Shavei Tzion

Levy was killed as his forces battled Hamas terrorists in the southern community of Re’im.

The IDF said he “led his team bravely, engaged [the terrorists], and was first into the battle in Kibbutz Re’im, in order to save citizens who were besieged in their homes.

Some 10 Palestinian terrorists were killed in the exchange, the IDF said.

He, along with Steinberg, is one of the most senior Israeli officers to have been killed in combat in recent memory.

IDF Col. Roi Levy, 44, commander of the Multidomain Unit, killed in action on October 7, 2023 (IDF)

Lt. Col. Sahar Machluf, 36, the commander of the 481st Signal Battalion, from Modiin.
Maj. Chen Buchris, 26, the deputy commander of Maglan, from Ashdod.
Cpt. Adir Ovadi, 23, a commander in the Home Front Command, from Modiin.
Cpt. Yotam Ben Bassat, 24, a commander in the Multidomain Unit, from Bat Hefer.
Lt. Or Moses, 22, a commander in the Home Front Command, from Ashdod.
Lt. Yiftah Yaabetz, 23, a commander in Maglan, from Ramat Hasharon.
Lt. Menashe Yoav Maliev, 19, an officer in the 7th Armored Brigade, from Kiryat Ono.
Lt. Or Yosef Ran, 29, a commander in Duvdevan, from Itamar.
Lt. (res.) Ido Edri, 24, an infantry officer, from Givaton.
2nd Lt. Adar Ben Simon, 20, a commander in the Home Front Command, from Neve Ziv.
2nd Lt. Yanai Kaminka, 20, a commander in the Home Front Command, from Tzur Hadassah.
Sgt. First Class Amir Fisher, 22, a Duvdevan soldier, from Tel Aviv.
Staff Sgt. Ofir Tzioni, 21, a commander in the Home Front Command, from Yokne’am Illit.

Staff Sgt. Omri Niv Feirstein, 20, a Home Front Command soldier, from Givatayim.
Staff Sgt. Yuval Ben Yaakov, 21, a soldier in the 7th Armored Brigade, from Kfar Menahem.
Staff Sgt. Ido Harush, a soldier in the 7th Armored Brigade, from Mitspe Ramon.
Sgt. Or Asto, 21, a logistics NCO in Golani, from Beersheba.
Sgt. Ofek Rosental, 20, a Maglan soldier, from Kfar Menahem.
Sgt. Eden Alon Levi, 19, a commander in the Home Front Command, from Nirit.
Cpl. Dvir Lisha, 21, a Golani soldier, from Nitzan.
Cpl. Guy Bazak, 19, a Golani soldier, from Givatayim.
Cpl. Netanel Yang, 20, a Golani soldier from Tel Aviv.
Cpl. Adi Gurman, 19, a Unit 414 soldier.
Pvt. Neria Aharon Nagiri, 18, a Home Front Command soldier, from Talmon.
Pvt. Naama Buni, 19, a soldier in the 7th Armored Brigade.
Lt. Col. Yonatan Tzur, 33, the commander of the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion, from Kedumim
Maj. Avraham Hovlashvili , 26, an officer in Carcal, from Ashdod
Maj. Ido Yehoshua, 27, an Israeli Air Force instructor
Maj. (res.) Omri Michaeli, 35, a Duvdevan soldier, from Nes Tziona
Cpt. Arye Shlomo Tsering, 27, an Oketz officer, from Raanana
Lt. Shoham Tomer, 23, a Nahal officer, from Srigim
Lt. Itay Maor, 23, a Golani officer, from Rosh Haayin
Lt. Rom Shlomi, 23, a Shalgad officer, from Ganot
Sgt. First Class Vitaly Shipkevich, 21, an Egoz soldier, from Ariel
Staff Sgt. Ilay Gamzu, 20, a Paratrooper, from Ashdod
Staff Sgt. Ohad Cohen, 20, a Shaldag soldier, from Idan
Sgt. Itay-El Marciano, 20, a Paratrooper, from Shoham
Cpl. Itamar Ayish, 19, a Home Front Command soldier, from Kiryat Gat
Cpl. Ori Looker, 19, a Golani soldier, from Pardes Hana-Karkur
Cpl. Yaron Zahar, 19, a Golani soldier, from Kiryat Ata
Pvt. Ofir Davidian, 18, a logistics soldier in the Home Front Command, from Patish
Cpt. Tal Grushka, 25, a Nahal officer, from Kfar Saba

An updated list of the slain soldiers and further details can be found at the following [Hebrew] link.

The names and ranks of 32 Israel Police officers who died in combat yesterday were also released.

In a statement, the force said officers and soldiers “stood fiercely at the front of the battle against the enemy.”

They are:

Chief Superintendent Ge-ar Davidov, commander of the Rahat station
Chief Superintendent Yitzhak Bazuka Shvili, commander of the Segev Shalom station
Superintendent Vadim Blich, a commander in the coordination of enforcement operations unit
Superindentent Martin Kozmichekis, commander in the coordination of enforcement operations unit
Superintendent Shlomo Moshe El, officer in the Yamam counter-terror unit
Superintendent Nisim Lugasi, deputy commander of a Magav unit
Superintendent Amin Ohonadov, squad commander in the Yoav unit
Chief Inspector Stas Shainkman, a member of the Yamam counter-terror unit
Inspector Andrei Poshivi, town station patrol officer
Inspector Alexei Shamkov, officer in the Yamam counter-terror unit
Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Meir Abragil, Sderot station investigation coordinator
Sergeant Major Chen Nahmias, sniper in the Yamam counter-terror unit

Sergeant Major Roman Gendel, instructor in the Lotar counter-terror unit
Sergeant Major Yehuda Kedar, non-commisioned officer Border Police officer at the Eshkol Ein Habsor station
Sergeant Major Roni Avuharon, detective at the Rahat station
Sergeant Major Adir Shlomo, head of logistics at the Sderot station
Sergeant Major Yigal Iluz, bomb sapper
Sergeant Major Denis Belkin, a patrolman at the Sderot station
First Sergeant Bar Sivan, fighter in the Yamam counter-terror unit
First Sergeant Alon Barad, investigator at the Rahat station,
First Sergeant Alexei Borodovsky, Negev Yasam patrol unit
First Sergeant Vitaly Karsik, forensics department crime scene investigator, Tel Aviv Region
First Sergeant Alec Pozniakov, detective in the Magen unit

First Sergeant Melik Karim, investigator at the Beersheba station
First Sergeant Yoram Eliyahu Cohen, fighter in the Yamam counter-terror unit
First Sergeant Dvora Avraham, a patrolwoman at the Ofakim station
Staff Sergeant Major Dror Elton, sapper in the Yamam counter-terror unit
Staff Sergeant Yaakov Shlomo Karsninski, fighter in the undercover police unit
Sgt. First Class Avi Buzaglo, detective at the Rahat station
Sgt. First Class Michael Lizmi, detective at the Beersheba station
Sgt. First Class Shai El Knafo, town patrol in police’s Southern District
Staff Sergeant Elina Astafniko, town patrol at the Ofakim station
Corporal Ravit Hana Assiyag, Border Police officer in police’s Southern District

The Shin Bet also named five members and retirees killed during the Hamas attack.

Yossi Tahar, 39, Maor Shalom 46, and Amir Wax, 48, were killed when Hamas terrorists attacked southern towns; and Ili Nahman, 23, and Ido Edri, 24, were killed when terrorists attacked an outdoor rave near Re’im.

Aside from soldiers and police, civilians, young rave-goers mowed down as they fled through fields of yellowing grass, residents of kibbutzim and towns overrun by Hamas gunmen, a local politician killed trying to defend homes, an emergency rescuer and firemen, elderly Israelis at a bus stop, workers and holiday-makers traveling on normally peaceful roads, young children pulverized by rockets.

As gun battles continued early Sunday morning, only a few names of the dead had been released.