Maj. Roey Chapell, 25: Helped keep terrorists from border communities
Nahal commander from Zichron Yaakov was among the first to engage attacking gunmen on October 7
Maj. Roey Chapell, 25, a Nahal commander, from Zichron Yaakov, was killed battling terrorists on October 7.
He is survived by his parents, Orit and Moshe, sister Shahar and brother Ohad. He was buried on October 10 at the military cemetery in Zichron Yaakov.
His mother Orit Tzuk, told the Kan public broadcaster that the Saturday of the Hamas attack was supposed to be Chapell’s final weekend in the army before being discharged after seven years of service.
Tzuk said Chapell 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 Chapell was at the Supernova outdoor music festival where Palestinian gunmen killed hundreds, though he managed to escape, the Walla outlet reported.
Ilana Fodiman-Silverman, who knows the Chapell family, wrote in a Times of Israel blog post that already in high school, Chapell chose to attend an elite pre-military school, and over his years in the army took on increasing levels of responsibility.
Fodiman-Silverman said Orit described her son as loving nature, being a natural educator and a “fierce protector of his family.”
“He loved getting to know and appreciate each of his soldiers and work with them to draw out strengths that they themselves were unaware that they possessed,” she wrote. “Roey pushed and lifted each of his charges.”