Their car was hit by a vehicle on Highway 90 near the Sde Eliezer intersection in the Upper Galilee while riding motorcycles.
Israeli Border Police officers Sergeant-Major Tomer Eliyahu Kalifi, 24, and Sergeant-Major Gal Yosef, 23, were killed in a road accident in northern Israel, Israel Police announced Saturday night.
Their motorcycles were hit by a vehicle on Highway 90 near the Sde Eliezer intersection in the Upper Galilee.
A man and a woman in their 70s were moderately wounded in the accident.
Upon receiving the report of the accident, a Magen David Adom team arrived at the scene, performed medical examinations, and was forced to pronounce them dead. Firefighting teams were also dispatched and helped extinguish the motorcycles, which had caught fire.
“We arrived at the scene and saw a road accident involving two motorcycles that were on fire and a private car," MDA paramedic Eden Gigi recalled. "The motorcyclists were lying on the road, far from the motorcycles, unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, with multi-system trauma. We performed medical checks, but their injuries were very severe, and unfortunately, we had to pronounce them dead at the scene.”
Rooad in the Upper Galilee, northern Israel, October 13, 2023. (illustration) (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)
Married just three weeks before the accident
Sgt.-Maj. Yosef, from Afula, leaves behind a wife, parents, and two sisters, according to KAN News. He was married just three weeks prior to the accident. Yosef originally served in the West Bank. During his service, he also commanded a team and was described as someone who took on significant responsibility.
"One day, he finished a morning shift, and one of the fighters couldn’t make it to the night shift because of a family matter. Gal volunteered to stay and cover the night as well, so his friend could go. He would volunteer for everything; he never said 'no' to any request," KAN quoted an officer as saying.
"A week before the wedding, when he was on special leave ahead of the event, they asked him to come in for Shabbat because there was a manpower shortage. He dropped everything and came," the officer continued.
"I’m a very critical person, but I don’t have a single bad word to say about him,’ another officer added. "Everyone always loved him. For me, he was my only soft spot in the unit; thanks to him I survived my service at all. This coming Shabbat, he was supposed to work a shift, and the commander gave him a perk to stay home because of his positive performance."
Kalifi, from Kfar Baruch, leaves behind his parents, three sisters, and a partner. Kalifi also initially served in the West Bank. As of July, he became a team commander and served as a detective.
"He gave his heart to everyone. He was the anchor of the unit. In every operation, we knew Tomer would lead the force and make it succeed," an officer told KAN.
“For every social event, he made sure to plan down to the smallest detail, always ensuring everyone was together. If someone wanted advice on something personal or professional, Tomer was the one to turn to. He always knew how to listen and give the right advice,” the officer said. “His heart was open to everyone. He did everything from the heart, and you could feel it in every operation and every mission.”
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