Tsachi Idan, 49: High-tech worker and Hapoel Tel Aviv superfan

Tsachi Idan, 49, from Nahal Oz, was kidnapped from the kibbutz on October 7 and slain in captivity.

As terrorists stormed into his home, Tsachi was holding the handle of the reinforced room to keep it closed. The gunmen shot through the door and killed his oldest daughter, Maayan, who was helping him to hold onto the door.

Tsachi let go of the door in shock and the terrorists held the rest of the family hostage in their home as they livestreamed their fear and horror on his wife Gali’s Facebook account, part of their psychological terror campaign.

Ultimately, the gunmen took Tsachi captive to Gaza and left the rest of the family behind.

Tsachi’s body was returned from captivity as part of a ceasefire deal on February 27, 2025. His death had not previously been confirmed.

Israeli authorities determined that he was slain in captivity on December 4, 2023, shortly after the end of the first ceasefire. Freed hostage Hagar Brodutch later said she had been held with Tsachi until just before she was released.

In October 2024, Tsachi’s first cousin, Warrant Officer (res.) Guy Idan, was killed while fighting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Tsachi was laid to rest on February 28, in Kibbutz Einat, next to his daughter Maayan. He is survived by his wife, Gali, their three surviving children, Sharon, Yael and Shahar, his mother, Dvora, and his three siblings, Noam, Doron and Udi.

The oldest in his family, Tsachi was born and raised in Nahal Oz, according to a kibbutz obituary.

He attended schools nearby, and after graduating completed his mandatory military service in the IDF.

Tsachi loved movies, always quoting from his favorite flicks, his family said. Sports were a big part of his life, and he loved to play soccer, volleyball and tennis.

One of his biggest loves was the Hapoel Tel Aviv soccer club, so much so that his funeral procession began at Bloomfield Stadium in the city, in a sea of red-clad mourners. He was a regular at games, had season tickets in the stands next to gate 7 and loved to bring his children to matches.

He worked in high-tech, most recently as a software engineer for the Tabit restaurant app.

While he left the kibbutz following his army service, in 2009, Tsachi returned to Nahal Oz with his wife and two oldest daughters, and their two younger children were born in the kibbutz.

The kibbutz noted that “Tsachi was known as a simple, humble guy, hiding behind his tools, but when somebody needed help, Tsachi was always there with all his heart and soul, ready to lend a hand, to help with a smile, and always with a joke or two.”

At his funeral, his younger brother, Udi, said that despite their 12-year age gap, “you always looked after me. My first memory with you is of you carrying me on your bicycle on the way to kindergarten.”

Udi said that Tsachi was “a principled and modest man, a caring family man and an exemplary father… you had so much humor and joy for life. You were knowledgeable in almost every field, a true professional. Sitting with you, drinking beer or black coffee on your porch in Nahal Oz is something I’ll miss for the rest of my life.”

Tsachi’s “love for sports was contagious,” his brother added. “Soccer and tennis were your favorites, and Hapoel Tel Aviv FC was your team, even though dad and I are Maccabi fans… Tsachi, you always knew how to listen, advise, and help in any situation. Your love and care were unconditional, and they will always accompany me. Family was the most important thing to you; you were the glue that connected us.”

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