Daniel Chemu

Sgt. Daniel Chemu, z"l, 20, of Tiberias - 202nd Battalion, 35th Paratroopers Brigade. Fell in combat in the northern Gaza Strip.

Sergeant Daniel Hamo was scheduled to donate bone marrow to a woman urgently in need, right after Simchat Torah. Through special efforts following combat, he was released and saved her life.

At the Branco Weiss High School in Tiberias, where Daniel studied, they mourned him and said, 'We bow our heads with the passing of our alumnus, Sergeant Daniel Hamo, of blessed memory – a fighter in the 202nd Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade, who fell yesterday in the northern Gaza Strip during the "Iron Swords" War. Daniel attended our school from 10th to 12th grade, successfully graduated, and left his mark in striving for meaningful service. Daniel organized gift packages for soldiers and needy families on his own initiative and stood out in his ability to see others. Daniel was beloved by both his friends and the staff, achieving every goal he set for himself despite the challenges he faced. We will forever remember the smile on his face. We embrace his parents, Eliyahu and Sarah, and the entire family, and salute Daniel, who fell a hero’s death. His funeral will take place today at 2:00 PM at the military cemetery in Netanya – his parents’ hometown.'

A few days before the war broke out, Daniel received a phone call from the Ezer Mizion organization, informing him that he was a match to donate bone marrow to a woman in her 60s urgently needing a life-saving transplant. Daniel, who joined the bone marrow registry upon enlisting in the IDF about a year prior, was found to be the only 100% compatible donor to save her life.

Daniel took on the life-saving mission and, due to the urgency, began an accelerated process of tests in preparation for the transplant. On October 7, he was supposed to begin the preparation process for the donation. With the outbreak of the war on the morning of Simchat Torah, Daniel fought on the battlefield in Sderot, Be'eri, and the festival grounds in Re’im. Daniel continued fighting, and the transplant, which was scheduled for a few days later, was postponed.

Due to the urgency and concern for the patient's life, the Ezer Mizion organization made a race-against-the-clock effort to secure Daniel’s release to perform the donation. They managed to reach his commanders in the field, who understood the immense importance of saving a life and released Daniel for the donation. Ultimately, on October 26, Daniel arrived at Ezer Mizion's Oranit Center and donated bone marrow for a woman he didn’t know.

Daniel, of blessed memory, said, 'I have the privilege; even as a soldier, you wonder how much you can save lives as an individual, and here there’s a combination of both being a soldier and saving a life—something truly tangible. It feels really good. It’s something amazing.'

Israel Prize Laureate, Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman, founder of the Migdal Ohr organization where Daniel attended middle school, said this morning, 'Our hearts simply broke hearing this terrible news. The sorrow and pain struck us upon learning of Daniel’s passing. Daniel studied with us; he was a beloved and special child, and he will forever remain a child.' His friends shared today, 'Daniel wanted only to do good; before beginning his military service, he told everyone: "I want to do meaningful things in the IDF for the State of Israel."' In his childhood, Daniel studied at the "Beit Yosef" Talmud Torah in Tiberias.