Those We Have Lost

Senior EMT Aviya Hetzroni, 69: Killed before he could help

Murdered in his home in Kibbutz Be’eri, October 7

By ToI Staff 16 October 2023, 3:34 pm Edit

Magen David Adom Emergency Medical Technician Aviya Hezroni was murdered in his home in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy of MDA)

Aviya Hetzroni, 69, was murdered by Hamas terrorists when they broke into his home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023.

Hetzroni was a senior emergency technician and ambulance driver with Magen David Adom’s Netivot station and in Be’eri. He was a volunteer for more than 20 years.

According to friends and MDA colleagues, he was extremely generous of spirit and put MDA and saving lives as his first priority.

“I have known Aviya for about 30 years and I can’t believe I am talking about him in the past tense. He was a very, very close friend. He accompanied us for many years and was a special person. He was the ‘father’ of the station in the kibbutz,” said Meir Elmaliach, manager of the Netivot MDA station.

“He was admired and an amazing man and grandfather. People relied on him because he was very smart, professional and generous. I have seen a lot of people who have loved MDA, but I haven’t seen any who loved MDA as much as Aviya did,” Elmaliach said.