JERUSALEM (VINnews) — BDE: In a tragic accident which occurred during a training session for the elite Yahalam unit’s cadets, Hillel Nechemya Offan, a 20-year-old soldier from Karmei Tzur north of Hevron collapsed and died.
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The incident occurred during a pre-dawn training session as the soldiers were crawling towards their intended target. Offan at one point lay on the ground and was not moving. The commanders found him unconscious and not breathing and despite resuscitation efforts at the scene, he was declared dead a short time later.
The training exercise was taking place in a forest near the central city of Elad, according to an IDF report. The military said that it was investigating the cause of death, though first responders indicated the soldier was apparently suffering from heatstroke or dehydration.
The IDF said it was unaware of any underlying conditions the soldier suffered from.
IDF officers from the Ground Forces Command said that the training session in which Offan died is part of a week known as “pressure week”, which is one of the most grueling parts of the basic training. The training takes place under extreme conditions, the soldiers sleep very little and eat specific small army rations. Many commanders are present in order to monitor every soldier and prevent unforeseen incidents.
Despite an intense heat wave in Israel over the last few days, the officers of the Yahalam unit authorized the extreme training session. The investigation will focus on why the training took place in such conditions, why the soldier moved away from the route and how long it took before he was found unconscious.
Hillel was described by his uncle, Rabbi Arele Harel, as “sweetness and grace, a friend and companion, devoted and always willing to volunteer for others, always thinking about the community. A wonderful student, very special with great knowledge and wisdom. A huge loss.”