“I went out to treat the injured, saving lives, that was me

“He was a friend and a brother, and he rushed headfirst into every event. Saving lives was in his blood.”

Yehud served as a volunteer physician for United Hatzalah and Magen David Adom emergency services for several years. During the violent terrorist attacks of October 7, when his community was invaded by Nukhba terrorists, Dolev left his home to try to save lives. He left his pregnant wife, Sigal, and three young children aged 5 to 9 in the family safe.

Dani Shmuel, head of the Gaza periphery branch of United Hatzalah, paid tribute to his friend. “Just before October 7, I had to choose an exceptional volunteer, and two weeks before the attack, Dolev was the best volunteer in our branch, because he deserved it. He always made sure to fill his bag with materials, just in case, God forbid he should take care of someone and not have what he needs. He volunteered with us for several years and always made sure to help and care for others. he declared.

Shmuel recounted what happened on October 7. “We called everyone who could come and help us, but the instruction I gave was to leave only with protective equipment. Dolev came to me and said he had to help because there was wounded He left and after For an hour and a half I tried to reach the volunteers who had reported to help, and everyone answered except one. I tried to reach Dolev and I couldn't. had no communication with him, not even by phone. I went to the central office of the organization and asked them to locate him.

According to Shmuel, after two days of no contact with Yehud, they thought the worst had happened and that he had been kidnapped or killed. “After two days, there was still no communication with him and no force could find out what happened because the fighting continued,” he said. “As the days went by, we began to understand that he was missing. We didn't know what to hold on to because there was no information from anyone. The organization tried to investigate and 'didn't find anything.'

Yehud's fourth daughter was born just nine days after the massacre. “I would like to thank Dolev's family, Sigal, his wife and children. From the moment I reported his absence, the organization has been in constant contact and supported the family and they will also receive more support at the future,” Shmuel said. “I don't know what happened in his last moments, we also tried to understand through other people what happened, and we were unsuccessful. From October 7 , it was chaos everywhere on the Gaza border and no one knew how many were injured and how many were kidnapped. There was no indication. He was a volunteer, a friend, a brother and he was still jumping. the first on any event, to care, to help and above all to save lives – it was in his blood and his DNA.”

The Eshkol regional council said in a statement that “we received with heavy hearts the difficult news of the murder of the late Dolev Yehud of Nir Oz on October 7 and the discovery of his body within the kibbutz compound. Dolev , 35 years old, third generation in Nir Oz, was a family man and a devoted friend, particularly loved by all those close to him. I like a person with a good sense of humor and extraordinary seriousness in every. task she undertakes, in her work, as her community and as a volunteer Together with the Yehud family and the Nir Oz community, we have wished and prayed for a different ending. We suffer and participate in the unbearable grief of the Yehud family. and the Nir Oz community.

The IDF spokesperson, who announced Yehud's killing, said his body was found following scientific identification conducted by the Missing Persons Tracking System unit and extensive analysis carried out by the IDF in coordination with anthropological experts. Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority also participated in the process of identifying and locating the body. With the announcement of the identification of Dolev's body, the estimated number of hostages held in the Gaza Strip is 124.

His sister, Arbel Yehud, is still held captive by Hamas.

Bodies and body parts were found in unrecognizable condition on kibbutzim and other border areas during the first days of the war. The IDF had been trying to determine whether Yehud had been killed or kidnapped in Gaza for several months. Having received no sign through various channels that he was being held in Gaza, the IDF began investigating whether his remains remained on Israeli territory.

His DNA was tested on some unidentified remains without conclusive results, leading to repeated testing and further scientific investigation.