Adi Harel's partner, Staff Sgt. Yonatan Savitsky of the Egoz unit was killed on October 7. On Tuesday, the IDF announced that that her brother, Gilad Harel of the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, was killed in combat against Hezbollah terrorists in the western sector of southern Lebanon, alongside Capt. Noam Madmoni, 22, Sgt. Ben Cohen, 21, and Sgt. Maxsim Entis, 21.
He shared a particularly close bond with his sister, whom the family said “was much more than a sister to him. She was a close friend, a partner on his path, and he was a significant person in her life.” Adi was traveling in Guatemala at the time of Gilad’s death and traveled back to Israel to mourn her brother.
On October 7, during the battle at the Kissufim outpost, Savitsky, a combat soldier in the Egoz unit and Adi’s partner of four years, was killed. Two weeks later, she returned to the IDF, resuming her role as a platoon commander in the Artillery Corps.
4 View gallery
Adi Harel and her partner Yonatan Savitsky, who was killed in battle on October 7
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Gilad himself enlisted in the Nahal reconnaissance unit and served as a Negev machine gunner. His family said he “was very proud of his military service and believed he was doing his utmost to protect the country. In recent months, he was a loving and devoted partner to Neta Katz. Their relationship was marked by deep closeness, friendship and great love.”
A family member said that “when people speak about Harel, the first words that come up are ‘quiet strength.’ Gilad was an exceptional young man who combined impressive abilities with modesty and humility. He excelled in his studies, possessed natural curiosity, and delved into many fields out of genuine interest and a desire to grow. Gilad was an athlete at heart. In his youth, he was an outstanding soccer player.”
He added that “Gilad stood out and led not only through talent, but also through his attitude, perseverance and the personal example he set for those around him. He was a very social person, integrated into many circles, and a meaningful figure in every group he belonged to. His friends say he was characterized by quiet charisma, a broad smile and a rare ability to connect people. They saw him as a role model and a true friend who knew how to support, uplift and lead. He was a devoted and loving son to his parents, Keren and Eitan, to whom he was very close.”