Following the discovery of his body earlier Saturday, the Israel Police and Border Police released an official statement detailing the background and service history of Yamam fighter Itai Person, 23, of Haifa. Person served in the Yamam's observation and drone unit, and is survived by his parents, four siblings, and his partner. The circumstances of his death are under investigation.
The Israel Police and Border Police on Saturday evening released an official statement detailing the service history and biographical background of First Sergeant Itai Person, 23, of Haifa, a fighter in the elite Yamam counter-terror unit. The announcement, which disclosed that Person enlisted in January 2023 for a pilot course, later transferred to the Border Police, completed an undercover training track, and was assigned to the observation and drone team within the Yamam, came hours after his body was recovered from Students' Beach in Haifa.
The development follows a two-day search that began when Person was reported missing on Thursday evening after visiting the beach. As The Zioneer reported, his body was located and identified on Saturday (16:54 Jerusalem). Subsequent reports (17:11, 17:44 Jerusalem) provided initial details on his service and the search effort. Earlier confusion about the discovery location was resolved when officials confirmed the site as Haifa's Students' Beach, not Tel Aviv.
As The Zioneer noted in its earlier coverage, Person's role as a member of the Yamam's technological observation unit placed him at the forefront of Israel's internal security operations, utilizing advanced surveillance technology to support complex counter-terror missions. He began permanent service in December 2025 and is survived by his parents, two brothers, two sisters, and a partner.
The circumstances surrounding Person's death remain under active investigation by the Israel Police. No official determination regarding the cause of death or the background of the incident has been released.
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