Ilay Zisser
July 11, 1996 – October 7, 2023
Ilay Zisser fell on October 7, defending southern Israel and its people. He was a major in an elite unit of IDF intelligence. Together with him fell his close friend, Hadar Kama, who shared the same birthday with Ilay – July 11. They were born on the same day and fell on the same day.
Ilay was 27. He left behind his wife, Tomer, his parents, Vered and Danny, three siblings – Ido, Lior, and Noam – as well as many relatives and friends.
Ilay… Ilay wasn’t someone who sought fame or grand words. He was known for his warmth, a quiet presence that naturally drew people. He lived life to the fullest, but was always simple and genuine – with a light in his green eyes and a rare care for everyone around him.
Ilay was always eager to understand more, to see deeper. He had big dreams, faith in people, and hope for a bright future. As a child, he taught himself to play chess and quickly began to outsmart his father, thinking many moves ahead. But even in this, he remained humble, as if his achievements were nothing out of the ordinary. He never boasted, avoided the spotlight, and preferred to stay in the background – what mattered to him was essence, not appearance. Only a few close ones knew of his accomplishments, because other things held far more meaning to him.
He had a natural way with people, an ability to listen, understand, empathize, and support. To his friends, Ilay was the one who stayed close in difficult moments, someone who could lift spirits and lend a shoulder.
Ilay met Tomer when he was 22, and their bond quickly grew into a relationship filled with adventures, journeys across Israel and the world, quiet joy, and sincere care. After three years of dating, Ilay proposed, saying Tomer was the love of his life. Though they shared only five years together, with less than two as a married couple, those years held a lifetime of happiness. Ilay cherished every moment with his loved ones and found profound meaning and beauty in life’s simplest pleasures.
He loved spending time hiking in nature, solving riddles, playing the guitar, and finding peace in silence. Inside, he remained that same humble person, whose inner calm and kindness made him special. From a young age, he helped his classmates, always ready to guide and support as if it were only natural. He never sought recognition, but his quiet strength and compassion naturally drew people to him.
Ilay’s life was short, but it was rich with experiences and filled with purpose. He will remain in the memory of everyone who knew him as both a hero and a person of rare depth and humanity. A man who was, at his core, reliable, honest, and kind – simple and genuine.
The October 7 Massacre
October 7, 2023, also known as “Black Saturday”, was the largest mass killing of Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists from Gaza infiltrated Israel by air, land, and sea, killing over 1,100 and injuring more than 1,900, most of whom were civilians – Israeli citizens, foreign workers, and tourists who had simply come to visit the Holy Land, were subjected to torture, rape, brutal killings, and burned alive. More than 240 people were taken hostage.
Early that morning, alarms sounded across the south and center of the country, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Be’er Sheva, and Sderot. The attacks began with at least 4,300 rockets fired into Israel and continued with massacres in 21 communities.
The following day, terrorist organization Hezbollah joined the war against Israel from Lebanon, followed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Judea and Samaria, Houthis from Yemen, various Iran-backed terrorist groups from Syria, Iranian militias from Iraq, and then Iran itself.
Citizens of 42 countries were killed or missing two weeks after the October 7 massacre: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Eritrea, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Nepal, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Uzbekistan, and Israel.
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Ilay was one of the first to arrive at the scene, to stop this massacre and save civilians on that terrible morning.
We mourn the victims of October 7, mourn Ilay and the other women and men among the soldiers, police, and security forces who gave their lives for us.
We extend our condolences to the families, loved ones, and friends, both in Israel and around the world, of those who fell and were murdered.
And we hope for the soonest release of all the remaining hostages, who have now been held by terrorists for more than a year – men, women, young boys, young girls, two infants, and elderly people from over 20 nations.
