Both heavily wounded soldiers expressed their desire to return to battle.
By Vered Weiss
Amid the tragic news of casualties, there are also incredible stories of survival–including testimonies of soldiers miraculously recovering from injuries that are usually fatal.
Major Itai and his troops entered a Hamas stronghold in Gaza and he was the first to encounter a terrorist sniper who fired directly at his face.
Major Itai said he remembered feeling a “blow to his face” which was a bullet entering his brain.
Amazingly, the officer still gave commands to his troops and didn’t realize he was bleeding unit he was treated by a medic.
Even though the medics understood the wound was serious, no one realized the bullet was lodged in Major Itai’s brain until he arrived at the hospital.
The medical staff haven’t removed the bullet, fearing that surgery would risk permanent brain damage.
With impaired vision in one eye, Major Itai expressed his wish to return and fight in Gaza and also to be reunited at home with his wife and young son.
“It seems I still have what to do here,” he said.
Another Givati brigade soldier, Sergeant Oren Dovid, also survived a nearly fatal wound in Gaza.
A bullet entered Oren Dovid’s body, hit his lung, pierced through the membrane of his heart, and exited through the left atrium.
Although he was unconscious for some time, Oren Dovid’s life was spared after a successful surgery by Dr. Leonid Saternik, head of the Sheba Medical Center’s heart department.
Oren Dovid has also expressed the wish to return to his troops in Gaza and continue to fight.