Police officer who killed over a dozen Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 dies by suicide

First Sgt. Igor Pibenev, who killed over a dozen Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel, took his own life last night.

His funeral will be held this evening at 6 p.m. at the Ashkelon Cemetery. He leaves behind a wife and three daughters.

Upon hearing about the October 7 Hamas attack, Pibenev left the police station in Hebron and drove to his home in Yated, a moshav near the Gaza border. On the way there, he killed at least 13 Hamas terrorists.

Pibenev encountered the first two gunmen near Urim Junction. He stopped his car after hearing the sound of bullets, then identified and shot the pair dead. Minutes later, two others began to shoot at him, embroiling him in a quick gunfight.

“After I saw them fall and not move, I returned to my car and continued to travel,” he said in an interview to the police spokesperson’s office. He went on to kill nine others, several who were heading toward Nir Yitzhak.

After reuniting with his family in Yated, he went out again to join up with the moshav’s volunteer security team.

“We had trained for scenarios like this, but I never imagined we’d face such a large number of terrorists,” he said.

Pibenev’s death was announced on social media. Three months ago, his wife, Hani Liderman-Pibenev, posted about the “silent victims of October 7,” referring to those struggling with survivor’s guilt and PTSD following the massacre.

“If there are people around you who have been deteriorating since that Shabbat, turn the world upside down to make sure they get professional help and proper treatment. Don’t try to save them by yourselves,” she wrote.