Roi Chapell

Maj. Roi Chapel, 25, a Nahal commander, from Zichron Yaakov, was killed battling terrorists on October 7.

His mother Orit Tzuk, told the Kan public broadcaster that the Saturday of the Hamas attack was supposed to be Chapel’s final weekend in the army before being discharged after seven years of service.

Tzuk said Chapel was with two other soldiers who were among the first to make contact with the attackers. They fought back against the invading gunmen at key locations near the Gaza Strip border, defending access to the communities of Sufa, Nir Yitzhak and Holit. He also alerted an army post in the area of the assault, enabling a group of female IDF lookout soldiers to escape, while also preventing the terrorists from reaching a central road in the border area.

“Many residents owe their lives to him,” Tzuk said.

Roi’s cousin Aviv Chapel was at the Supernova outdoor music festival where Palestinian gunmen killed hundreds, though he managed to escape, the Walla outlet reported.