Sergeant Major (res.) Matan Lazar of Haifa, a fighter in the 6261st Battalion of the 261st Brigade, was among the 21 IDF soldiers who fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday.
Lazar, 32, a graduate of the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa and the Shamir School of Nursing, was a beloved nurse in the emergency department at the Shamir Medical Center-Assaf Harofeh in Be'er Ya'akov, southeast of Tel Aviv. He had also worked at the Carmel Medical Center.
"We at the Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) bow our heads and mourn the death of Sergeant Major Matan Lazar,” the hospital said in a statement. Friends and colleagues described him as dedicated and caring, with a huge heart.
Wherever he worked or studied, Lazar was an active participant in social and professional initiatives, the Health Ministry said in a statement of condolences to the family.
Survived by wife and parents
Lazar is survived by his wife, Ilana, a nurse at Klalit Health Services, and his parents, Silvio and Yosepha.
His funeral will be held today at 1:00 p.m. at the military cemetery in Haifa.