IDF Identifies 1949 Soldier Burial Site After 76 Years

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the identification of the burial site of Private Arthur Gassner, who was killed in battle in 1949 and missing for 76 years. Gassner, along with his comrades Corporal Gabriel Maganaji and Corporal Kalman Chapnik, was buried in a mass grave in Rehovot after a fierce battle near the village of Duweima. Initially, only Maganaji and Chapnik's remains were recovered in 1949, while Gassner's fate remained unresolved until a renewed investigation began in 2020. This multi-year probe involved archival research, witness interviews, soil analysis, and archaeological surveys, ultimately confirming that Gassner was buried with his comrades. The IDF has notified Gassner's family and plans a ceremony to add his name to the shared grave, marking a formal closure to his status as missing in action. This discovery underscores the IDF's ongoing commitment to accounting for all fallen soldiers, especially following recent conflicts.