As Israel, Hamas battle, funeral held for head of Israeli 'Ghost' unit Col. Roi Levy

Oct. 9 (UPI) -- The funeral for Col. Roi Levy, head of Israel's elite "Ghost" multi-dimensional unit, was held Monday in Jerusalem.

Levy died in a fight between Israel Defense Forces and Hamas on Saturday, according to The Times of Israel. The IDF says his unit "entered the battle first in Kibbutz Re'im, in order to save citizens who were besieged in their homes." He is survived by his wife and five children.

Ten Palestinians were also killed in the violence.

The 44-year-old was born in the United States but spent most of his life in Jerusalem. He joined the IDF as a member of the Golani Brigade in 1999. He served as commander of the brigade's reconnaissance squadron from 2007 to 2008. He then took leave from service to pursue a law degree from Ono Academic College, a private college in Kiryat Ono, Israel.

Levy would suspend his studies to rejoin the Golani Brigade in the Gaza War. He suffered multiple significant injuries during this tenure of service.

He wasn't the only high-profile Israeli military leader to die in this past weekend's conflict.

Col. Jonathan Steinberg, commander of the Nahal Brigade, was also killed on Saturday, along with more than 80 other Israeli soldiers and 37 police officers. Steinberg was killed in a battle with Hamas, the IDF said in a social media post. He was 42 years old.

Other high-ranking Israeli soldiers confirmed dead include 36-year-old Lt. Col. Sahar Machluf, commander of the 481st Signal Battalion, 33-year-old Lt. Col. Yonatan Tzur, commander of the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion, and 42-year-old Lt. Col. Eli Ginsburg, a Shayetet 13 officer.