Mother Recounts Son's Selfless Life and Heroic Death as Combat Medic

Iris Katz, mother of fallen soldier Or Katz, shared poignant memories of her son, a combatant and medic in the Kfir Brigade, who was killed in Gaza by an RPG. Or, 20, had promised his mother he might come home on leave, but instead, she received the devastating news of his death. In an interview with Dr. Chana Katan, Iris described Or as a deeply sensitive and selfless individual who always prioritized others, a trait evident from his childhood. Even at a young age, he expressed concern for the homeless and offered to share his room. This empathy continued throughout his life, leading him to gravitate towards those who felt marginalized.

Or's journey included a growing religious observance from age ten, which initially concerned his mother due to their less observant family background. However, he maintained strong family ties while deepening his faith, even waking early for prayers and assisting the elderly. Despite his mother's hopes for a less dangerous path, Or was determined to enlist in combat service, specifically choosing to become a combat medic to help and save lives. He actively sought to expedite his enlistment in August 2022.

During his service, Or received commendations and was entrusted with command responsibilities due to his leadership qualities. His mother learned after his death that his request to be transferred from his medic role was denied by his battalion commander, who refused to lose his best medic. Or was unaware of this, believing he was not good enough. He served in various conflict zones, including Lebanon, Hebron, the Jordan Valley, and Gaza.

In his final moments in Gaza, where he had been for about a week and a half, Or was leading his comrades. A terrorist emerged from a tunnel and fired an RPG, hitting four soldiers. Two died instantly, Or was critically wounded and later pronounced dead, and another soldier succumbed to his injuries. His mother recalled Or's assurance that as a medic, he would always be the last to leave a dangerous situation. Friends have since shared numerous stories of his quiet acts of kindness, such as extending guard duty for a friend or allowing a married soldier to go home for the holidays.

Or's family is working to commemorate him through various initiatives, including a Torah scroll, religious books, and a children's book written by his sister. Iris emphasizes that his legacy is not just his military service but his compassionate approach to people. His final request to his family was to continue living joyfully, a difficult but earnest endeavor for them.