His death was confirmed by the Israeli military in December 2023, though his body remained in Gaza throughout the conflict. Colonel Hamami was among the most senior Israeli officers killed in the attack that claimed more than 1,200 lives.

On the morning of the assault, Colonel Hamami had been on his military base with his 6-year-old son, Alon, celebrating Simchat Torah. When reports came in of the first breach in the Gaza border fence, he kissed his son's head, handed him to female officers, and became the first commander to leave the base for battle.

At 6:44 a.m., he declared a state of war on his own initiative, announcing: "This is commander, declaring war." He opened the gates of Kibbutz Nirim and led a fierce battle against Hamas's elite Nukhba Force alongside soldiers Tomer Ahimas and Kirill Brodsky. All three were killed, and their bodies were taken to Gaza.

Hamas fighters had been given his photograph with instructions to locate "the most senior officer." "Terrorists specifically targeted him," his mother, Clara Hamami, told Ynet in 2025. "We were told they entered the division with Asaf's picture in their pockets."

The loss marked the third generation of military sacrifice in his family. His father, Ilan Hamami, was already a bereaved brother, having lost his own brother in a military training accident.

Born on Dec. 2, 1982, in Rosh HaAyin, Asaf Hamami enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces in 2001, beginning a distinguished 22-year career. He rose through the ranks from the Givati Brigade's reconnaissance battalion to command positions in elite units, receiving the Chief of Staff's Citation in 2010. In May 2022, he was appointed commander of the Southern Brigade in the Gaza Division.

Those who served under him described a commander who combined exacting standards with genuine care. He called soldiers' wives every Friday to wish them Shabbat Shalom. But he was also demanding, requiring daily "dawn alert" exercises and maintaining constant readiness.

"He constantly warned of Hamas raids," recalled Lieutenant Colonel Guy Madar, wounded in the October 7 attack. "He drove us crazy as if at any moment Hamas was planning to penetrate the Gaza border." Those warnings proved tragically prescient.

His philosophy was uncompromising. In an interview after the 2006 kidnapping of soldier Gilad Shalit, he told journalist Alon Ben-David: "There's no scenario where a soldier is taken alive." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant later said: "Assaf did not hesitate, he was there, ready to charge the enemy."

Colonel Hamami was guided by the motto "Never give up." His mother said this advice became their lifeline after his death. Rather than joining public protests, the family channeled their grief into constructive action, establishing a scholarship fund and working to create the Reservists' House in his name.

The family's wait for confirmation was agonizing. On October 16, 2023, they were told there was a high probability he was dead. Only on November 27 did the Shin Bet obtain a Hamas video that conclusively confirmed his death.

"This circle will never truly close. I still haven't come to terms with his death," Clara Hamami told Ynet in 2025.

He is survived by his wife, Sapir; his children, Arbel, Alon, and Ella; his parents, Ilan and Clara; his brother; and his grandmother, Shoshana Hamami.

Colonel Hamami's death marked not only a personal tragedy but a turning point in a conflict that would define a generation, validating the warnings of a commander who gave his life defending the communities he had sworn to protect.

Tomer was killed alongside eight other Israeli soldiers in an ambush during urban warfare in the same densely populated area where he had served during Israel's 2014 military operation in Gaza.

His death came more than two months after he had distinguished himself during the October 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel, when he led the defense of his sector despite overwhelming odds. That morning, as Hamas terrorists breached Israel's border and launched their attack on kibbutzim and military outposts, Tomer confronted a devastating reality: every outpost in his sector had fallen, and 41 of his soldiers had been killed.

Rather than retreat, he organized and led the counterattack that helped stem the invasion.

"We've spent 15 years preparing; now let's see if Hamas is ready for us," Tomer said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom shortly after the October 7 attacks, his words reflecting both his determination and the weight of command responsibility.

Born in 1988 in Kfar Saba, Tomer had dedicated his career to military service, rising through the ranks of the elite Golani Brigade. He assumed command of the 13th Battalion in July 2023, just three months before the October 7 attacks, in a ceremony where he was photographed embracing his young daughter, Arbel.

That image would later take on profound significance. In November 2023, while Tomer was deployed in Gaza, Israel Hayom reporter Yoav Limor showed him a video of 3-year-old Arbel watching her father's photograph on the newspaper's front page. "Daddy," she said excitedly, pointing at the image.

The moment, captured on video, illuminated the personal cost of military command for a father serving far from home.

"We are working great," Tomer told Limor during that November interview in Gaza. "We will win, it will take more time, but we will come back home." His words would prove to be among his final public statements.

Tomer brought extensive combat experience to his final deployment. During Israel's 2014 Gaza operation, he had served in Shejaiya, where 13 soldiers from his battalion were killed. That earlier battle had provided him with crucial knowledge of urban warfare in Gaza's complex terrain.

The October 7 attacks had left deep impressions on Tomer, as they did on all Israelis who witnessed the violence. In his interview with Israel Hayom, he recounted discovering the bodies of murdered civilians, including what he described as "blue-eyed twins next to the bodies of their parents" in a house in Kfar Aza.

"The desire to enter Gaza," he said, explaining his motivation, "it's for them."

Beyond his military duties, Tomer was remembered for his compassion and dedication to the families of fallen soldiers. He had maintained a close relationship with the family of Amit Ben Yigal, a soldier who had served under his command and was killed in 2020. Since Ben Yigal's death, Tomer had participated in every memorial ceremony, demonstrating his commitment to honoring those who had served under him.

After October 7, Tomer addressed his troops in words that would later go viral on social media. "So it turns out you are not spoiled," he told them. "It turns out you are no less heroic than them. It turns out you are not the 'iPhone generation.' So well done, everyone. I'm proud of everyone here, but this is just the beginning."

Tomer is survived by his wife, Ashira; his daughter, Arbel; his parents, Isaac and Adina; and his brother, Ziv. The family lived in Almog, a community in the Jordan Valley.

He was buried at Mount Herzl, Israel's national cemetery, on December 13, 2023, in a ceremony attended by thousands of mourners who gathered despite heavy rain. The funeral was held in a new section of the cemetery that had been opened to accommodate the graves of soldiers killed on October 7 and afterward.

At the funeral, his father Isaac's voice cracked as he recited the Kaddish prayer. "We are all prepared to give our soul and to die for the State of Israel," he said. "That is Golani, that is Tomer."

The ceremony brought together thousands of mourners, including wounded soldiers from Tomer's battalion, military leadership, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Many attendees wore Golani insignia, reflecting the deep bonds within the elite unit that Tomer had commanded with such dedication.

Tomer's death occurred during one of the most challenging phases of the Gaza campaign, as Israeli forces engaged in house-to-house fighting in Shejaiya. The neighborhood had been fortified by Hamas with tunnels and defensive positions, creating the kind of complex urban battlefield that demanded experienced military leadership.

In the months following his death, Tomer's story became emblematic of a generation of Israeli military leaders who responded to the October 7 attacks with courage and paid the ultimate price. His influence continues within the Golani Brigade, where his leadership principles and dedication to his soldiers serve as a model for new commanders.

Tomer's legacy extends beyond his military service to encompass his role as a devoted father and his commitment to protecting both his family and his nation. His story serves as a reminder of the personal sacrifices made by those who choose military service in defense of others.

A native of Modi’in and a national youth judo champion, Yonatan was known for his quiet determination, unwavering moral compass, and passion for excellence. In high school, he designed a home for lone soldiers—those who leave their countries and families to serve in the IDF—driven by the belief that such individuals deserve the very best. Though he could have taken an easier path as an “Outstanding Athlete” in the army, he chose a demanding combat role out of principle. His life was a reflection of selflessness and integrity, and his legacy now inspires efforts to realize the home he once dreamed of building.

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