Those We Have Lost

Staff Sgt. Roey Weiser, 21: Sought to divert Hamas terrorists from base

Killed near Kerem Shalom border crossing, October 7

Staff Sgt. Roey Weiser, who was killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. (IDF)
Staff Sgt. Roey Weiser, who was killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. (IDF)

Staff Sgt. Roey Weiser, 21, a Golani soldier from Efrat, born to American immigrants, was killed while serving near Gaza during the Hamas onslaught on October 7.

He is survived by his parents, Yami and Naomi, his sister, Shani and brother Nadav. He was buried in Kfar Etzion on October 11.

His mother, Naomi Feifer-Weiser, told CNN that her son was stationed at the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Gaza when the Hamas terrorists invaded.

Feifer-Weiser told the US TV network that Roey “died how he lived, by putting others first, and when his base was overrun by terrorists, he went on his own to divert their attention allowing others to escape,” she said, recounting what she had heard from the surviving soldiers. “Because of his bravery, at least 12 other soldiers are alive today.”

“Roey lived his life to the fullest, almost always with a smile on his face,” she added. “He was always looking for ways to help those around him, and before he was conscripted he was a volunteer firefighter who was always the first to jump into action when needed.”

His father, Yami Weiser, wrote on Facebook that his son “was killed Saturday morning as a hero defending the southern border,” describing receiving the news as “enormous sadness and indescribable heartbreak.”

Read more Those We Have Lost stories here.

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