Cleared for Publication: The name of the soldier who was critically injured today during an operational activity at the Gaza border, is First Sergeant Barel Chadaria Shmueli, 21 years old, from Be'er Ya'akov.

Barel joined the Border Police unit in 2019, and after the combat training he began the Border Police special unit course, after which he has become part of it and served in southern Israel.

During his service, Barel has also undergone a sniper course and served as a sniper in the Border Police's special unit. Barel took part in dozens of operational activities of counterterrorism throughout his service.

This evening, during an operational activity at the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip, the unit has encountered shooting from within the Strip, Barel was hit and injured severely and evacuted to the Soroka hospital in Be'er Sheva.

Barel's condition has been classified as critical and the doctors are fighting for his life.