Maj. Omri Michaeli, 35, from Ness Ziona, a soldier in the Duvdevan unit, was killed on Saturday during an exchange of gunfire with Hamas terrorists in Kfar Aza, a Gaza border community. In Operation Protective Edge in 2014 he was brought to Soroka hospital by helicopter and was seen being evacuated on a stretcher wrapped by an Israeli flag. That picture, published in Yediot Ahronoth, became one of the symbols of that operation. "When I was laying on the gurney, the first thing I did was cover myself with Israel's flag," he said at the time.
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In the 2014 operation, Michaeli was injured in his leg from a bullet shot at him in Khan Younis. "I was with another soldier near the entrance to a house and I remember the terrorist coming out of the house across from us while spraying us with bullets. He was five meters from us, we were both hit, my friend got a bullet in the knee and fell and I got a bullet in the thigh."
Despite being seriously injured and losing a lot of blood, Michaeli continued to shoot to rescue his friend safely. "The body works automatically, denying pain and limitations," he explained after the incident. After a few minutes of fighting, Michaeli managed, with the help of another soldier, to evacuate his wounded friend, and only after an argument did Michaeli agree to be evacuated in order to receive treatment himself.
For his bravery during Operation Protective Edge, Michaeli received the Chief of Staff's medal of honor. During the operation, a grenade was thrown at his troops and Michaeli jumped on another soldier who was standing near him, and protected him with his body. In the hours of fighting that followed, Michaeli fought and risked his life more than once to help evacuate casualties.
In the year preceding Operation Protective Edge, Michaeli lived and worked in Africa. He returned to Israel specifically to join the fighting. After the injury, he said from his bed in the hospital: "On Friday, a week and a half ago, I made the decision to return to Israel, after they called me and told me that there would probably be an operation. I was already in Israel on Sunday morning, and on Tuesday we entered Gaza. I made the decision to return on my own. They did not ask me to return. For me, this is about the State of Israel, first and foremost."
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Omri Michaeli in hospital with his featured article and famous picture
(Photo: Haim Hornstein)
Michaeli said at the time that he did not imagine that his picture hugging the flag would arouse so much excitement. "I hope it will strengthen the Home Front," he said. "We the fighters are going to Gaza with our eyes closed for the sake of the homeland. There are no games here. If we are told to do something, there is probably a reason, and we are there. In the end there will be peace in the south and peace in the whole country, and this is our first task. The soldiers feel completely justified in our way. This is our country And we only have one."
Michaeli is originally from Kibbutz Kfar Rupin. Tal Shilo, 36, his childhood friend from the kibbutz, said Sunday morning: "I thought about him all night, my heart sank. I knew he was in a special unit and I didn't know which one. Every time there was an escalation, I thought about him. I knew he was invincible, that nothing could penetrate him, especially after Protective Edge. There were several events and he came out of all of them, always with a shy and captivating smile."
Tal talked about their shared childhood. "Omri is a year younger than me, but we grew up together from the age of zero. Our families were neighbors and our parents were very close friends. Omri was good at what he was interested in, he was determined and achieved all the goals he set for himself. After he was released, he worked to the best of my knowledge in the field of security and continued to do reserve duty in a special unit," Tal said. "He was always the first, the most patriotic, always nonchalant and with great modesty and humility."