Australian serving with Israeli army killed inside Gaza

An Australian man has been killed while fighting with an Israeli armoured brigade in southern Gaza.

Reserves Captain Lior Sivan, 32, was serving as a tank commander when he was killed on December 19.

He had been called up by the Israeli Defense Forces hours after the October 7 Hamas ground attack on southern Israel and had only left the Gaza Strip briefly a few times since then.

Captain Sivan was awaiting his leave to be with his wife, Liav, who is due to give birth to their daughter next week.

The couple also has a two-year-old son.

Killed in ambush

His father, Dan Sivan, said his son was not a fighter by nature but had wanted to protect Israel.

"Even though my son loved life, creation, nature and peace, he saw it as a very important task to defend the country and the people and was called to a reservist on the 7th of October, because he realised, like all of us, that we can only defend ourselves, no one can do it for us," Dan Sivan said.

He was killed in an ambush by Gaza militants in the strip's south.

"During the seven-day shiva mourning period, numerous soldiers came to share their condolences and told us how Lior had saved their lives," Dan Sivan said.

"He was in one tank and another tank was alongside his and the tank's driver told him that he could see that a Hamas terrorist was putting an explosive device on the tank next to theirs.

"Instead of trying to manoeuvre and shoot him from inside the tank, he didn't think of his wife and his son. He was a hero. He opened the hatch and rose up to shoot him.

"But it was an ambush and someone hiding behind a building launched something at him.

"He was killed immediately. But he saved the four men in the other tank and possibly the other three in his own tank."

Lior Sivan's father said that the family was advised not to view the corpse.

He was buried in the military section of the cemetery in Beit Shemesh, the central Israeli town where he lived.

First Australian killed while fighting for Israel against Hamas

Captain Sivan has become the first Australian to be killed while fighting for Israel against Hamas inside Gaza.

The dual Australian/Israeli citizen was born in Melbourne before moving with his parents to Israel as a toddler.

His parents, both of whom were born in South America, immigrated with their families to Australia as children, escaping oppressive regimes.

His wife spoke at his funeral.

"Just yesterday we spoke on the phone, we dreamed about trips abroad and the house and the baby girl that would come, and you said it hurts from missing us so much," Ms Sivan said.

"In the recent months, you kept telling me that it's no big deal, you aren't doing anything dangerous and that the soldiers in tanks can't even be harmed.

"I can't imagine our lives without you. But I promise to do everything to be a family that still loves life and laughs."

At the funeral, his family and friends also spoke of his wonderful sense of humour and his zest for life.

"Lior you were a person who drew people to you like a magnet," said his sister Ma'ayan.

"Whether it was because of your impressive height and you being so handsome, or whether it was because of your captivating personality, charisma and the self-confidence that you radiated.

"Forgive me for oversharing, but allow me to share funny stories. The 15 donuts you ate that I made one night as a little girl, or your ability to stuff eight hotdogs in your mouth."

Captain Sivan was a mechanical engineer, who was known for his inventions.

He invented a chair for people with a disability that allowed them to be independent in water, and a charging cable to charge a mobile phone in a tank.

His brother, Gabriel, who is also a tank commander in Gaza, spoke to Lior a few hours before he was killed.

"I'm sorry that I didn't warn you in that phone call, not that I could have known, maybe if I had spoken a little longer it would have changed the chain of events."

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment.

Story by: Middle East Correspondent Allyson Horn and Orly Halpern in Beit Shemesh, Israel

Original Story link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-02/australian-serving-with-israeli-army-killed-inside-gaza/103277994