Our story - Team Paz
In Memory of Tzevet Paz
On July 23, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, a squad from the IDF Paratroopers — known as Tzevet Paz — entered a booby-trapped home near Khan Younis in southern Gaza. An explosive device hidden in the structure detonated, causing one of the deadliest incidents of the war.
Four soldiers were killed. Many more were wounded, some for life.
This page honors the memory of those four fallen heroes — friends, brothers, and light in the lives of all who knew them.
Lt. Paz Eliyahu, 22
Kibbutz Evron
Squad Commander
Paz was a natural leader, deeply committed to his soldiers. He could have rested, but chose to stay with his team. “My guys are with me, and I’m with them — through fire and water,” he told his father shortly before the mission. He led with integrity and heart.
Staff Sgt. Li Mat, 19
Eilat
Paratrooper
A boy of the sea, Li loved to surf and bring joy to others. He served with courage and humility. His family had already known tragedy; Li’s death shook his hometown and the entire country.
Staff Sgt. Shahar Dauber, 20
Kibbutz Ginegar
Paratrooper
Shahar was full of life and love — a class leader, an athlete, a friend to everyone. Always stepping forward, always lifting others, he embodied kindness and quiet strength.
Sgt. Shahar Shalev, 21
Alonei HaBashan
Paratrooper
Shahar was critically wounded in the blast and fought for nearly six weeks. The entire nation came together in hope — donating blood, offering prayers. He passed away on September 14, 2014. His hometown remembers him as the first to fall — and prays he will be the last.
Their Memory in Our Hands
Eial Ovin, a fellow squad member, founded The Healing Mezuzah Project as a way to carry memory, transform grief, and create meaning from pain. Each mezuzah is carved from Galilean olive wood — a tribute to the land they loved, and the lives they gave.
“Every mezuzah I make is for them.
It’s how I keep their names alive.” – Eial
Their Legacy Lives On – In Brotherhood and Purpose
After the explosion in Khan Younis, many would have stepped away from the battlefield. But Tzevet Paz chose another path.
Instead of breaking apart, the soldiers remained a unit — bound by memory, brotherhood, and the unwavering belief that they had more to give. They continued to serve together in reserve duty year after year.
On October 7, 2023, during the attacks on Israel’s southern border, the squad was called up once again — this time as part of the 55th Brigade. Together, they returned to the very place where four of their own had fallen. They fought side-by-side, carried the weight of memory, and endured fresh loss — three more soldiers from their broader unit were killed.
Still, Tzevet Paz continues.
They train. They fight. They heal — together.
Because the only place they truly know how to face the past… is with one another.
This same spirit fuels The Healing Mezuzah Project — a way to carry the names of the fallen into the future with honor, intention, and love.