Major Roey Chapell z”l, son of Orit Tsuk and Moshe, brother to Shahar and Ohad, and partner to Yuval, grew up in Zikhron Yaakov.
He was a graduate of the Military Boarding School at the Reali School in Haifa.
Throughout his life, Roey was known for his integrity, responsibility, generosity, and joy for life. He was active in the Sayarot outdoor programs and used to say that there was no point in traveling abroad before first walking the entire length of Israel National Trail. His love for the land and its people ran deep within him.
Roey enlisted in November 2016 to the Nahal Reconnaissance Company (Orev Nahal), and over the years, rose through the ranks to become company commander.
On August 30, 2023, his 25th birthday, he began his final operational deployment before discharge, stationed in the southern Gaza envelope.
On October 7, 2023, just two weeks before completing his seven years of service, he fell in a heroic battle during the Hamas surprise attack.
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On that Simchat Torah morning, Roey and his command team — communications officer Sgt. Tomer Yaakov Mizrahi z”l and driver Roni Izayagov — were on a routine dawn patrol near Mitzpe Sufa.
At 06:31, a massive rocket barrage struck Israel, alongside mortar fire on the southern communities.
Roey immediately ordered the patrol vehicle back toward Sufa Base, reporting over the radio about the infiltration of dozens of terrorists. At the same time, he called one of the team leaders at the base, urging him to arm the few soldiers present and take up defensive positions.
As they drove through the local roads under rocket fire, Roey and his team narrowly escaped multiple hits. Realizing they were surrounded, Roey issued orders to various forces — mortars, a tank attached to his sector, lookout operators, and the headquarters unit. He was the first to report over the radio that a war had begun. Together with his radioman, he alternated between gunfire and constant communication with neighboring bases and nearby civilian communities.
Their vehicle maneuvered between dirt paths under heavy crossfire. Roey directed reinforcements toward Kibbutz Holit while scanning infiltration routes and relaying real-time intelligence to both military and civilian responders.
During this stage, Roey and Tomer fought under direct fire, occasionally exiting the vehicle. Tomer fired to cover Roey , who launched anti-tank missiles at pickup trucks loaded with terrorists and mortars.
Around 07:00, a message came over the radio that a small force of soldiers was pinned down in a shelter at the Dan-Gur Memorial, near Sufa Base. They were under attack and in desperate need of help. Roey decided to flank the site from behind to provide support to the besieged soldiers.
At that moment, their vehicle was hit by an RPG missile. The team exited and continued fighting on foot against dozens of terrorists closing in.
Tomer was mortally wounded by the blast but, with his last strength, managed to exit the vehicle. Roey was hit by a sniper’s bullet to the back. He told Roni, “I’ve been hit,” and collapsed.
Roni tried to reach Roey but was struck in the leg. Tomer covered him, helping apply a tourniquet. Together they dragged Roey behind a bush for cover, but Tomer collapsed beside him.
Alone and under fire, Roni managed to call for reinforcements, which arrived about fifteen minutes later. The rescue team evacuated Roey and Tomer to the shelter at the Dan-Gur Memorial — the very site Roey had been trying to reach to save others.
After roughly seven hours, a Nahal Reconnaissance rescue force arrived and extracted the remaining soldiers.
Roey and Tomer had already fallen. Roni survived, though he lost his leg. From the group besieged at the memorial, Team Commander Eyal Klein and fighter Daniel Bizgadov z”l were also killed.
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Major Roey Chapell, 25 years old, Commander of the Sufa, Nir Yitzhak, and Holit sector, fought with unmatched courage and leadership.
He advanced under fire, led his men with determination, and saved the lives of countless soldiers and civilians.
May his memory be blessed.
