"My son became my teacher": The story of fallen IDF hero Inon Nuriel Vana
Some people leave a quiet yet lasting mark on the world. Sgt. Inon Nuriel Vana was one of them. Inon, a soldier and technician in the Golani Reconnaissance Unit, was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip at just 20 years old. He left behind a loving family, many friends and an immense void that can never be filled.
Through the words of his mother, Nava, and his sister, Hadas, emerges the portrait of an extraordinary young man: a shy, modest boy who proved to be a brilliant self-taught learner, a sensitive soul and a determined soldier who never shied away from a mission.
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The sweet boy among seven siblings
Inon grew up in a lively household as the sixth of seven children. "Inon was such a good boy. Nobody ever got angry with him," his mother, Nava, recalls with a smile and a sense of longing. "He was very modest, very shy. He was like everyone's little toy." His sister Hadas remembers the day he was born. "I remember being really upset when he was born because I didn't want another brother. But then he arrived, and we treated him like another sister; we painted his nails and braided his hair. He didn't get a haircut for years and had long hair. He went along with it because he was the child everyone wanted to spoil. He had these huge eyes. He was just so special and sweet that it was hard to say no to him."
Despite his gentle nature, Inon showed remarkable independence and boundless curiosity from an early age. He was a natural with technology, possessing an exceptional mechanical instinct. His mother recalls that when he was just a year and a half old, while the family was living in Haifa, he crawled across the floor and used his tiny fingers to completely dismantle the locking mechanism of an office drawer. Everything fascinated him, particularly how things worked and what they were made of.
He loved anime and was a gifted musician in his own right. One day, he received a toy grand piano and quickly began playing it with remarkable skill, despite never having taken a lesson. Later, he became a true autodidact, teaching himself to play both guitar and bass guitar through computer tutorials, reaching an astonishing level of proficiency.
A transformation and service in the Golani Reconnaissance Unit
Inon's high school years brought a remarkable transformation. Once an introverted, quiet boy with few friends, he discovered his inner drive and began to flourish. He continued his education in a two-year postsecondary technical program, demonstrated exceptional dedication to his studies and became beloved by those around him. That determination drove him to build a better future for himself. He proudly enlisted in the Golani Reconnaissance Unit as a Namer armored personnel carrier technician.
His family would sometimes tease him about his role, but Inon took his responsibilities seriously. He hoped to pursue a career in the military and contribute as much as he could. "He was a bit of a military enthusiast. He loved all the army stuff, the insignia and the berets," his sister recalls. "We found a collection of berets in his drawer. What really mattered to him was being with his friends and protecting them. That was what drove him."
During his service, Inon operated on several fronts, including Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. Every time he emerged from the Gaza Strip, he would send the same message to the family group chat: "Dear family, I've left Gaza. I'm on my way home." Each time, the family would breathe a collective sigh of relief. His role required him to enter combat zones whenever a military vehicle was damaged or became stuck, carry out repairs under fire and withdraw.
The final mission and farewell
On his final mission, Inon was not even supposed to enter Gaza. He had stepped in for a fellow soldier who had been assigned the task. His unit entered the area to repair a disabled vehicle near a tunnel. A terrorist emerged from the tunnel and threw an explosive device into the armored personnel carrier. The explosion was immediate, killing Inon on the spot. At 4 a.m. that morning, loud knocks echoed through the family home. "The second I saw the officers at the door, I understood what had happened. I didn't have a moment's doubt," his mother recalls.
Life after his death became surreal and unbearably difficult. Shabbat eve’s family dinners, where Inon had always been the center of attention and kept everyone laughing with his unique sense of humor, suddenly felt empty. Yet amid their grief, his mother and sister found comfort in memories of his radiant personality and in the many friends who came to the family home during the shiva mourning period. They shared stories of how close, attentive and extraordinary a friend he had been to them.
"Life after such a loss changes you. It makes you a sadder person," Nava and Hadas reflect. "But it also allows you to grow and learn from the experience. Those who die young are destined to become angels. My son, Inon, became my teacher. We are so proud of the path he chose, the friendships he built and the way he always remained true to himself. He was determined, unwavering in his convictions and an endless source of pride."
Sgt. Inon Nuriel Vana of the Golani Reconnaissance Unit was killed in combat on July 26, 2025. He was 20 years old.
May his memory be a blessing.
Sergeant
Inon Nuriel Vana