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 approached a booby-trapped home near Khan Younis in southern Gaza that concealed one of the largest terror tunnels in the area. An explosive device hidden at the entrance detonated, causing one of the deadliest incidents of the war.

Four soldiers were killed, and many more were wounded, some with life-changing injuries. Eial Ovin, a member of Tzevet Paz, was not present at the moment of the blast, but was later the one who identified the bodies of his fallen teammates. This page honors the memory of those four fallen heroes, friends, brothers, and a light in the lives of all who knew them.

Lt. Paz Eliyahu, 22

Kibbutz Evron, Squad Commander

Paz was a natural leader, deeply devoted to his soldiers. He could have stepped back, but chose to remain 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 courage, integrity, and heart.

Staff Sgt. Li Mat, 19

Eilat, Paratrooper

Li was a boy of the sea who loved to surf and bring joy to those around him. He served with courage and humility. His family had already known great loss, and his death deeply shook his hometown and the entire country.

Staff Sgt. Shahar Dauber, 20

Kibbutz Ginegar, Paratrooper

Shahar was full of life, warmth, and love. A class leader, an athlete, and a loyal friend, he had a way of lifting the people around him. He was remembered for his kindness, quiet strength, and generous spirit.

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 and offering prayers for his recovery. He passed away on September 14, 2014. His hometown remembers him with deep love and prays he will be the last.

Their Memory in Our Hands

Eial Ovin, a fellow member of Tzevet Paz, founded Healing Mezuzah as a way to carry memory, transform grief, and create meaning from pain. Each mezuzah is crafted from Galilean olive wood, a tribute to the land they loved and the lives they gave.

“Every mezuzah I make is for them. It is how I keep their names alive.”
Eial Ovin

Their Legacy Lives On

After the explosion in Khan Younis, many might have stepped away. But Tzevet Paz chose a different path.

Instead of breaking apart, the soldiers remained a unit, bound by memory, brotherhood, and the belief that they still had more to give. Year after year, they continued to serve together in reserve duty.

On October 7, 2023, during the attacks on Israel’s southern border, the squad was called up once again as part of the 55th Brigade. Together, they returned to the same region where four of their own had fallen. They fought side by side, carrying the weight of memory while enduring fresh loss. Three more soldiers from their broader unit were killed.

And still, Tzevet Paz continues.

They train together. They serve together. They heal together.

This same spirit lives within Healing Mezuzah, a way to carry the names of the fallen into the future with honor, intention, and love.

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