The chilling photo - and the only one left to tell
A photo taken on the eve of Yom Kippur 2023, showing three armored soldiers from the 401st Brigade saluting in front of the graves of brigade fallen from the 1973 Yom Kippur War, became a chilling prophecy: within a year, two of those photographed fell in battles in Gaza, and only Staff Sergeant Gabriel remained alive. Gabriel, the parents of the fallen, and commanders tell about the memory, the bereavement, and the meaning.
A photo taken on the eve of Yom Kippur 2023, less than two weeks before the outbreak of the 'Swords of Iron' war, became a chilling prophecy. The photo shows three armored soldiers from the 401st Brigade — Sergeant First Class Itai Sa'adon, may he rest in peace, Sergeant First Class Ofir Berkovich, may he rest in peace, and Staff Sergeant Gabriel — standing and saluting in front of the graves of brigade fallen from the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Within a year, two of those photographed fell in battles in the northern Gaza Strip: Itai in November 2023 and Ofir in October 2024. Gabriel, the only one left alive, said in an interview with Ynet that the memory of that day is hazy, but he understands in retrospect how chilling the photo is. Ofir's parents were exposed to the photo only during the shiva days, and Itai's mother spoke about the fear for Gabriel's fate. The photo has transformed from a unit symbol to a symbol of Israeli society as a whole, connecting generations of fighters.