Students

Inbar Haiman, who was abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7 where she was volunteering, was murdered in captivity by Hamas. Inbar was an undergraduate student in the Department of Visual Communication at the WIZO Academy of Design (WIZO is slated to merge with the University of Haifa this year).

Lieutenant Ariel Reich
Killed in battle in northern Gaza. Tactical Command College studying Middle Eastern and Islam Studies.

Inspector Andriy Poshyvay
A Police Officer killed in gunfire exchange in Southern Israel. The Staff and Command College, School of Political Science.

Lieutenant Colonel Alim Abdallah
Deputy Commander of the IDF 300^th Brigade killed in gunfire exchange on the Lebanese border. School of Political Science.

Alumni

Lieutenant Colonel Roee Yohay Yosef Mordechay
An officer in the Nahal Brigade fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. The Staff and Command College, School of Political Science.

Lieutenant Colonel Tomer Greenberg

Commander of Golani Brigade’s 13^th Battalion fell in battle against Hamas terrorists in Shijaiyah. The Staff and Command College, School of Political Science.

Major Gal Bachar
Training Officer in the 36th Division 36, was killed in a military road accident in southern Israel during military operations. The Staff and Command College, School of Political Science.

Yuval Doron Kestelman, a brave citizen who rushed to the scene of a terror attack in Jerusalem and saved many civilian lives after killing terrorists, was accidentally shot dead by IDF soldier at the scene. Graduate Degree from the School of Political Science.

Colonel Asaf Hamami

Commander of the southern brigade in the Gaza Division, was killed in a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7th during a battle with terrorists defending Kibbutz Nirim. Graduate of the National Security College at the School of Political Science (BA and MA).

Police Superintendent Vadim Blich

Section commander in the Enforcement Operations Coordination Directorate. Graduate of the University’s Police Officers Program.

Chief Superintendent Avi Amar

Killed on October 7^th defending Kibbutz Be’eri. Graduate Degree in Land of Israel Studies.

Lieutenant Colonel Habka Salman

Armored Corps’ 53rd Battalion Commander. Graduate Degree, Staff and Command College at the School of Political Science.

Eviatar Kipnis

Murdered with his wife Lilach in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. Master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies.

Advanced Staff Sergeant Major Boris Danilov

Killed in the battles at Kibbutz Be’eri on October 16, 2023. Undergraduate degree in Multidisciplinary Studies as part of the police officers’ course and graduate degree in Jewish History.

Chief Inspector Avi Zidon
Deputy Head of the Ofakim Police Station Patrol Office. Graduate degree in Land of Israel Studies.

Ilan Moshe Yaacov
Murdered at the Tribe of Nova Massacre. Undergraduate degree in Political Science in the Public Influence Track.

Lieutenant Colonel  Eli Ginsberg
Commander of the IDF LOTAR (special forces) School. Graduate degree, International Relations at the School of Political Science.

Major Binyamin (Benji) Trakenisk
Operations Officer in the 7^th Armored Brigade. Graduate degree, Staff and Command College at the School of Political Science.

Chief Inspector Dan Ganot
Deputy Commander in the Police Directorate of Coordination of Enforcement Operations. Graduate degree, Staff and Command College at the School of Political Science.

Senior Staff Sergeant Major Chen Nahmias
Member of the Centralized Special Unit (YAMAM). Graduate Degree in Maritime Civilizations.

Captain Tal Grushka
Company Commander at the Nahal Brigade. Graduate of the Tactical Command College, studying Multidisciplinary Studies and Counseling & Human Development.

Lieutenant Colonel Yehonatan Tzor
Commander of the Nahal Infantry Brigade Special Forces Unit. Graduate Degree from the Staff and Command College at the School of Political Science.

Colonel Jonathan Steinberg
Commander of the Nahal Infantry Brigade. Graduate Degree from the National Security College at the School of Political Science.

Chief Superintendent Yitzhak (Itzik) Buzukasvhili
Commander of the Segev Shalom Police Station. Undergraduate and Graduate Degree, and graduate of the University’s Police Officers Program.

Superintendent Martin Kuzmickas
Commander in the Police Directorate of Coordination of Enforcement Operations. Graduate of the University’s Preparatory Program.

Colonel Roi Levy
Commander of the IDF Multidimensional Unit, killed in battle with Hamas terrorists. Graduate of the National Security College at the School of Political Science.

Bereaved Families

Elad Katzir, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz and held captive in the Gaza Strip since October 7th, was tragically killed by his captors. Elad is the brother of Carmit Pelti-Katzir, who is studying psychotherapy at the School of Psychological Sciences. His remains were recovered by the IDF and returned to Israel on April 6, 2024.

Captain Daniel Peretz, a tank commander, was killed on October 7th near Kibbutz Nir Oz and his body was taken hostage to Gaza. On March 17, 2024, the IDF officially confirmed his death. He is the beloved son of Rabbi Doron Peretz, a graduate of the Ruderman MA Program for American Jewish Studies. 

Master Sgt. (res.) Rabbi Elkana Vizel, commander in the 8208th Battalion of the 261st Brigade, fell in combat in the Gaza Strip, husband of Galit Vizel, master’s student in the School of Creative Arts Therapies.  

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Rafael Elias Mosheyoff of the 6261st Battalion of the 261st Brigade fell in combat in the Gaza Strip, husband of Hadas Mosheyoff, a graduate of the Department of Multidisciplinary Studies.

Captain Oshri Moshe Butzhak, killed in action in the Gaza Strip, son of Reut Butzhak, enrolled in the School of Psychological Sciences.

Maj. (res.) Aryeh Rein of the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade’s 79th Battalion who fell in combat in the northern Gaza Strip, husband of Michal Rein, doctoral student in the School of Public Health.

Master Sergeant (res.) Eliyahu Meir Ohana, of the Battalion 7810, 11th (Yiftah) Brigade, son of Anaya Ohana from the Division of Continuing Education & Extension Studies.

Vivian Silver, peace activist and mother of Yonatan Zeigen who holds a graduate degree from the School of Social Work,  was murdered in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7th.

Corporal Amichai Shimon Rubin, of the Golani Brigade’s 51^st Battalion, son of Yishai Rubin, graduate student in Public Administration and Policy, School of Political Science.

Michal and Guy Admoni z”l, murdered by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Kfar Aza,  sister and nephew of Ruth Ofry, Faculty of Law.
 

Major (res.) Moshe Yedidya Leiter, Company Commander of Battalion 697 of Brigade 5515, cousin of Tamar Ahitov, graduate student in the Creative Arts Therapies.

Gal Oren, graduate of the School of Political Science, lost his cousin and five family members on October 7^th. 

Dror Bahat, killed at the Nova Massacre on October 7^th, brother of Ziv Bahat, undergraduate student in the Department of Physiotherapy.

Sergeant (in Res.) Matanya Alster, fighter in the 221st Battalion of the Carmeli Brigade, brother of Reut Hanah Alstar, graduate student in Creative Arts Therapies. Matanya was killed by anti-tank fire in northern Israel.

Maayana and Noah Hershkovitz, murdered at the massacre in Kibbutz Be’eri, parents of Ella Berkovich, doctoral student in the School of Public Health.

Sergeant Amit Mosat, combat medic in the Nahal Brigade, killed in combat, brother of Yaron David Mosat, enrolled in the National Security College at the School of Political Science.

Oren Alfasi, son of Keren Harel, PhD candidate, Department of Creative Arts Therapies. Oren protected his girlfriend with his body from Hamas terrorists while hiding in a shelter in Kibbutz Nirim.

Staff Sergeant Amit Peled, Egoz Elite Commando Unit, brother of Gaia Peled, Department of Psychology.

Shoval Yaakov, son of Meirav Yaakov, graduate student, Department of Anthropology. Shoval was murdered at the Tribe of Nova Massacre.

Major Ariel Ben Moshe, Company Commander in Sayeret Matkal, brother of Shavit Ben Moshe, student at the Tactical Command College, studying Multidisciplinary Studies and Economics.

Corporal Ravit Hana Assayag, sister of Maor Yaacov Assayag, graduate student, Department of Marine Technologies.

Sergeant Yaron Shay, brother of Shir Shay, student at the Multidisciplinary Program in Early Education and Development.

Avraham “Rami” Katzir, killed by Hamas terrorists in the sealed room of his Kibbutz Nir Oz home on October 7^th, father of Carmit Pelty Katzir, enrolled in the School of Psychological Sciences. Carmit’s mother Hanna Katzir was taken hostage by Hamas and released on November 24^th.

The University Community is deeply concerned for the safety of:

Ohad Yahalomi and son Eitan, who were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Eitan returned safely to Israel on November 27, 2023, but Ohad is still in captivity and we pray for his safe and speedy return. Ohad is a graduate of the University’s Departments of Geography and Statistics.

The University stands in solidarity with Shir Segal,a student of Social Work, whose parents were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. After enduring 51 days in captivity, Aviva Segal (Shir’s mother) has been released as a result of a ceasefire agreement. Our hearts remain steadfast in prayer for the safe return of her father, Kieth Segal, and for the swift and secure return of all of the hostages.

The University stands in solidarity with Uri Amichai, a staff member of the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library, and Gadi Amichai, systems engineer at the Computing and Information Systems Division, whose uncle Oded Lifshitz was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz. We pray for his safe return and for the swift and secure return of all of the hostages.

The University stands in solidarity with Ilan Shachar (Marine Acoustics and Underwater Navigation Lab Manager) from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, who lost several family members and loved ones on October 7th. We pray for the safe return of members of Kibbutz Kfar Aza who were taken hostage, and for the safe and swift return of all of the hostages.

After 50 days in captivity, the University of Haifa community rejoices at the safe return of Dr. Adi Shoham, a distinguished alumna of the School of Psychology, along with her mother Shoshan Haran and children Naveh (8 years old) and Yahel (3 years old). While celebrating their reunion, our thoughts and prayers remain steadfast for the prompt and secure return of Adi’s husband Tal Shoham, and all hostages.