Oz Yeshaia Gruber

Oz was born on October 20, 2003, and grew up in Tal Menashe, the son of Haim and Shira — a brother, uncle, friend, and grandson.

He was the glue of the group, lived life at full volume, and sang and laughed a lot.

Ozi was a beautiful child, inside and out. “So much beauty! What do you do with all this beauty?” he would say.

His great love was horses. He was a riding instructor and touched many hearts — quietly, modestly, with a big smile.

Ozi loved spending time with friends. On every leave from the army he organized an outing or a trip, made sure everyone took part, brought people together, and was sensitive to anyone pushed to the sidelines.

He was a devoted brother and a loving son, giving out kisses and hugs to everyone.

Ozi, a fighter in Adir infantry company, Battalion 601 of the Combat Engineering Corps, was a company commander’s radio operator. On Saturday, June 15, 2024, during a mission to clear areas in the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, the Namer APC he was in was hit by an anti-tank missile. Oz and the seven friends who were with him were killed on the spot.
May his memory be a blessing.