Mother of Fallen Israeli Officer Vows to Continue His Support for Needy Soldiers

Galit Hazut, mother of Captain David Hazut who was killed in combat in southern Lebanon, shared her son's story and his final wishes in an interview on the "Kalman Liverman" program on Kan News. David, 21, from Ashkelon and a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade's 12th Battalion, was laid to rest in the military cemetery in his hometown, leaving behind his mother and sister.

Two weeks before his death, David told his mother, "If something happens to me, life goes on," expressing his belief that fate is in the hands of heaven and that events would unfold regardless of location. Galit described how David was deeply troubled by the difficult conditions faced by some of his soldiers. After returning from a five-week leave, he spent time visiting his troops’ homes and was disturbed by their financial hardships and lack of basic necessities.

David personally helped his soldiers financially, even donating his command allowance to support them. His mother promised at his grave to continue his mission of aiding soldiers in need. David had lost his father five years earlier, studied at the "Asher Ruach Bo" pre-military academy, and insisted on joining the Golani Brigade despite his mother's attempts to persuade him otherwise. He planned to marry his partner and serve in the Shin Bet after his military service.

According to an initial investigation, around 2:00 a.m., during a raid on a suspicious building in the Deir Sirian area of southern Lebanon, David's combat team came under close-range fire from a Hezbollah terrorist. David was killed in the incident, another soldier was lightly wounded, and Israeli forces subsequently identified targets for retaliation in the area.