Ori Karmi

Staff Sgt. Ori Karmi, 20, a Golani soldier from Rishon Lezion, was killed while battling Hamas gunmen attacking the Nahal Oz army base on October 7.

He is survived by his parents, Liat and Dror, his older sister Lidor, 24, and younger sister, Ella, 6, who idolized him. He was buried on October 12 in Rishon Lezion.

Ori was one of 66 soldiers killed in the attack on the Nahal Oz base, which is located less than a mile from the border with the Gaza Strip.

Ori was a fighter in the Golani Brigade’s famed 13th battalion, which has etched its name into the Israeli consciousness for its heroism and the heavy toll its soldiers have paid in Israel’s wars, including dozens who were killed on October 7.

He was a hero to his little sister Ella. In a video taken at a military ceremony at the Western Wall, Ori holds Ella high, smiling and kissing her cheeks as she sings “Golani Sheli, Golani Sheli” (“My Golani, my Golani).

In an interview with Channel 13, Ori’s older sister said: “My name is Lidor Cohen, the older sister of the hero soldier Ori Carmi from the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade, operational Platoon B, who held the line in Nahal Oz on October 7.”

Lidor said her little brother was awoken on October 7 by rocket sirens and ran to the front gate of the base to check what was happening. She said when he realized the scope of the catastrophe unfolding he ran back to warn his fellow soldiers that the infiltration was real — and much bigger than anything they had trained for.

Lidor said her brother and “his fellow Golanchikim” managed to kill dozens of Hamas gunmen before their ammunition ran out and they were overrun.

She spoke of her brother as “not just another fallen soldier” and vowed that she would make sure that everyone knew how great he was.

Born on Hanukkah, his parents decided to name him Ori (“my light”), a name that loved ones said he lived up to in his short life.

“Twenty years. Twenty years that I had the fortune to be your sister who loved you unconditionally,” Lidor said.

Lidor spoke about the hole he leaves behind and how if she can find any solace, it is in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, if only for 20 years.

“You took the world by storm at every moment. How many funny stories we heard about you, about your great heart, your grace, your joy, your honor. You had a great life brother, but it was too short.”
Source: The Times of Israel