Australian reported killed fighting for Israel
An Australian man has been killed in Gaza after being called up for service in the Israeli army, according to reports.
ABC News has reported Reserves Captain Lior Sivan was killed in Gaza while fighting with an Israeli armoured brigade as a tank commander on December 19.
Israeli forces in Gaza on Dec. 9, 2023. Photo by Eytan Schweber/TPS
His death was covered by Israeli outlets shortly after but was not picked up by Australian media until Tuesday.
The dual citizen was called to serve in the Israeli Defence Force shortly after October 7 when Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the Australian government, killed more than 1200 Israelis and took 240 hostages according to Tel Aviv officials.
Since then, the Israeli government has unleashed a bombing campaign and ground invasion of the besieged Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 22,000 Palestinians, local health authorities say.
Much of the occupied territory has been reduced to rubble, the vast majority of its 2.3 million citizens have been displaced and thousands are on the brink of starvation because of Israel’s blockade.
Capt Sivan was killed after his tank invaded the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
His father Dan Sivan told the ABC that the 32-year-old had risen out of the hatch to try shooting a Hamas fighter who had allegedly placed an explosive device on an adjacent tank.
“But it was an ambush and someone hiding behind a building launched something at him,” he said in an interview with the ABC.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told AAP it was aware of the reports and “urgently seeking further confirmation”.
“We send our condolences to his family during this difficult time and stand ready to provide consular assistance,” a spokesperson said.
AAP
