Police Commander Jayar Davidov, 44: 'Always had a sparkle in his eye'

Killed by an RPG attack while battling terrorists near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7

Israel Police Commander Jayar Davidov, 43, the commander of the Rahat police station, was killed battling Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Re’im on October 7.

On the morning of October 7, Davidov was notified that police officers under his command were battling invading terrorists in the vicinity of Re’im, and immediately left his home in Beersheba to assist them.

Davidov and his team were the first to reach the site of the Hamas assault, arriving before any IDF soldiers.

He was wounded in the fighting and before he could be evacuated to receive treatment, the vehicle he was in was hit by an RPG and he was killed, along with three other police officers. Also killed alongside him was Segev Shalom police station commander Itzik “Bazuka” Buzukashvili, who had arrived at the scene specifically to try and evacuate Davidov.

In a message informing their fellow officers of their deaths, the Rahat police station commended Davidov and his team “for being the first to go into this battle and [protecting] the residents of the areas with their bodies,” a local Beersheba news outlet reported.

Davidov would have celebrated his 44th birthday on October 8 but was instead buried in Beersheba Cemetary on October 9. He is survived by his wife Inbar and their four children.

At his funeral, Inbar eulogized him as “a hero of Israel and the love of my life,” while his oldest son Tal promised to join the Israel Police forces and follow in his father’s footsteps.

In early November, Tal joined the Israel Border Police despite having already completed the majority of his training in the IDF’s Givati Brigade.

“Dad put on a uniform and his protective gear and a moment before he left, he managed to give me a hug and told me: ‘Take care of yourself, don’t try to be a hero,'” Tal recounted in an interview with Ynet.

“As soon as Dad fell in battle, I decided to follow in his footsteps,” he added. “Dad always told me that his dream was to see me in the uniform of the police, I’m making his dream come true. It’s a shame he’s not here to see it.”

Davidov, who joined the Israel Police in 2001 and worked his way up the ranks, was remembered by Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai as a man who “always had a sparkle in his eye.”