Minutes ago an IDF special team, led by the Head of the Human Resources Directorate, Maj. Gen. Moti Almoz, informed the Baumel family that the body of their loved one, Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel, who has been missing since the battle at Sultan Yaaqoub, was located, brought to Israel and identified.
The body of Sergeant First Class Baumel was identified with certainty at the L. Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine as well as by the IDF Chief Military Rabbi, Brig. Gen. Eyal Karim.
Mere minutes ago, teams from the Casualties Department of the Human Resources Directorate informed the families of the three IDF soldiers who went MIA during the battle at Sultan Yaaqoub, which occurred on the 11th of June 1982. The teams further informed the families of the location and recovery of the body of Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel. Furthermore, the other families of the IDF’s MIA soldiers were also informed.
This is a protracted effort by the Israeli intelligence community and the MIA Allocation Team in the Casualties Department, during which various operations were conducted to locate those soldiers MIA from the battle. The culmination of this effort was a series of operations over the past few months led by the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate that brought about the location and recovery of Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel.
The IDF is committed to the continuation of the efforts to locate Sergeant First Class Yehuda Katz and Sergeant First Class Tzvi Feldman, as well as all MIA IDF soldiers and fallen IDF soldiers whose resting place is unknown.
The Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, the commanders of the IDF and its soldiers console all of the families including the Baumel, Katz and Feldman families in these complex moments.
Sergeant First Class Zachary Baumel has returned home after approximately 37 years.
Details regarding funeral arrangements will be provided once scheduled.
