JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli Defense Forces troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip have recovered the M-16 assault rifle that belonged to Cpt. Daniel Perez, who was killed and abducted during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terror onslaught.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The weapon was located by reservists of the Carmeli Brigade at a booby-trapped site, acting on precise intelligence that indicated the rifle was being stored there, the IDF said Monday.
Perez, a tank commander, was stationed near the Gaza border on the morning of October 7. He and his crew fought for hours against thousands of Hamas terrorists who breached the border before being killed alongside Sgt. Tomer Leibovitz and Staff Sgt. Itay Chen.
The bodies of Perez and Chen were taken into Gaza by the terrorists. Staff Sgt. Matan Angrest, another member of the crew, was abducted alive. Perez’s body was recovered and returned to Israel for burial approximately two months ago.
The IDF said the rifle was found in good condition despite more than two years in enemy hands.
The recovery comes as Israeli forces continue targeted operations in northern Gaza aimed at dismantling remaining Hamas terror infrastructure and locating weapons and hostages