Those we have lost

Tal Eilon, 46: Killed three terrorists before falling in battle

Killed battling Hamas in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7

By ToI Staff 12 October 2023, 2:36 pm Edit

Tal Eilon, 46, died defending his home community of Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy Tal Eilon Facebook page)

Tal Eilon, 46, a lover of the sea, his family and his community of Kfar Aza, was killed protecting his beloved home from a Hamas invasion on October 7.

Eilon commanded his community security team, and was the first to mobilized to protect Kfar Aza during the initial infiltration of Hamas from Gaza that Saturday morning.

Together with his father, they were able to eliminate three terrorists before Eilon fell in battle, according to Micha Kichka, who served as Eilon’s officer in their army days.

He was retroactively recognized by the Defense Ministry as a fallen soldier with the rank of sergeant major in the reserves. He was buried in a military ceremony on October 17 next to Givat Yeshayahu.

He is survived by his wife, Mazi, their three children, Gali, Roi and Rotem, as well as his mother, Liora and his siblings Hadas, Dekel and Ron.

An Ashdod port worker, Eilon was “a hero of Israel,” a father of three, husband, son, brother and friend, said Kichka.

“He was a soldier with morals, professional, intelligent and with values,” said Kichka.