Chilling pre-Oct. 7 photo: three soldiers salute Yom Kippur War fallen, only one survives

A poignant photograph taken on the eve of Yom Kippur 2023, less than two weeks before the October 7 attack, shows three Armored Corps soldiers from the 401st Brigade saluting the graves of fallen 1973 Yom Kippur War soldiers. Of the three, Staff Sgt. Itay Saadon and Staff Sgt. Ofir Berkovich were subsequently killed in battle in the northern Gaza Strip in November 2023 and October 2024, respectively. The third soldier, Staff Sgt. Gabriel, is the sole survivor from the image. Gabriel stated, "It's a chilling coincidence. I'm the only one left alive from that picture." The parents of the fallen soldiers expressed deep sorrow and a sense of tragic continuity, with Ofir's father recalling his son's pride in the assignment. Itay's mother, Liat, expressed relief for Gabriel's survival, noting, "It is important for me to tell Gabriel how happy I am that he is here with us." The photograph has become a powerful symbol of intergenerational sacrifice and the ongoing cost of conflict in Israel.