Tragedy in Gaza: Newlywed Abraham Azoulay Falls in Hamas Anti-Tank Attack
Abraham Azoulay, a reservist from Yitzhar, was killed by a Hamas anti-tank missile in Gaza, becoming the third from his community to fall in the “Swords of Iron” war. A dedicated pioneer, he leaves behind his wife of three months and a legacy of building Samaria’s settlements.
On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, Abraham Azoulay, a reservist bulldozer operator from the Shaked Farm in the Yitzhar Hills of Samaria, was killed in a Hamas ambush in the Gaza Strip, marking the third loss from the Yitzhar community in the ongoing “Swords of Iron” war. Three armed Hamas terrorists attacked the heavy engineering equipment Azoulay was operating with light weapons and an anti-tank missile. Israeli forces neutralized two of the attackers, but the third fired the fatal missile before being eliminated. Azoulay, who had married his wife, Ruth, just three months earlier, was among dozens of Yitzhar residents volunteering in Gaza to support IDF operations with heavy machinery.
Raised in the Elazar settlement, Azoulay moved to Yitzhar as a teenager, later founding a Hebrew labor business dedicated to developing Samaria’s infrastructure and roads. Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan mourned him, saying, “Abraham, may his memory be blessed, was a hero, a true pioneer, devoted with all his soul to the settlement of the hills and to the IDF. He was one of our finest sons, building the hills with courage and love. Abraham is the 31st soldier from our council to fall in the Swords of Iron war, sacrificing his life for the nation and the land while doing what he loved, building Israel.” Golan Avgi, head of the Yitzhar committee, added, “Abraham was a pioneer who established a Hebrew labor business. He enlisted with a large group of friends from Yitzhar, operating heavy equipment in Gaza. I knew him as a man of integrity, talented, and beloved by all who knew him.”
The attack follows the July 7, 2025, Beit Hanoun ambush that killed five IDF soldiers. Yitzhar has also lost Sergeant Yehonatan Luber 18 months ago and Sergeant Shneor Zalman Cohen eight months ago in Gaza. Professional teams from the Samaria Regional Council and Yitzhar are supporting Ruth and the community. Social media posts on X expressed grief, with one user stating, “Abraham’s death is a blow to Samaria’s heart, his legacy of building Israel lives on.” Funeral details are forthcoming.