Tzeela Gez, a 30-year-old mother of three, was murdered on Wednesday night in a terror attack in Israel while en route to the hospital to give birth to her fourth child.
Tzeela and her husband, Chananel, were traveling from their community of Bruchin in Shomron (Samaria) when a Palestinian gunman opened fire on vehicles along Route 446. Tzeela was critically wounded in the attack, while her husband sustained injuries.
IDF soldiers swiftly dispatched military and medical personnel to the scene, rushing the couple to Rabin Medical Center in Petach Tikvah. As medical staff worked desperately to save Tzeela’s life, they successfully delivered her baby boy, who was transferred to Schneider Children’s Medical Center. The newborn is currently listed in serious but stable condition.
Tragically, in the early hours of Thursday morning local time, the hospital announced that Tzeela had died from her wounds. The terrorist responsible for the attack has not yet been apprehended.
‘We Will Never Let Them Break Us’
Despite his profound grief, Chananel Gez displayed remarkable strength in a message shared with family that has been circulated in Israeli media.
“Today is a sad day. Last night, my wife was murdered. We were on our way to the hospital to give birth to our fourth child,” he wrote.
“Obviously, I am broken,” he continued. “This is natural. But I thank G‑d that I am alive, and I will be strong in order to continue to be a light to the world. Because we will never let them break us.”
He concluded with a message that echoed timeless Jewish determination throughout centuries of tragedy and terror: “I am very, very sad. But I will continue to fight for the welfare of our people. … We will survive, succeed and prosper.”
Tzeela worked as a therapist, focusing on trauma, anxiety and relationships. Even during the difficult months following the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, she maintained an unwavering commitment to spreading positivity.
“Another moment I am grateful that I am breathing, that I am present and that I am here,” she wrote in a Facebook post last December that was published in The Times of Israel. “From here, all I want to do is be active and spread light; even a small smile is spreading light.”
In another post, she shared her coping mechanisms for keeping her spirits high as the war carried on and invited others to share theirs.
Hundreds lined the streets of Bruchin as Chananel and the extended Gez family made their way to the funeral in Jerusalem, standing in solidarity to comfort the bereaved family. Hundreds more gathered at the funeral home to share in the family’s pain, mourning for someone they never met yet felt intrinsically connected to.
“I am deeply shocked by the horrific attack in Samaria, targeting a heavily pregnant woman and her husband as they were on their way to the delivery room,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “This vile act precisely reflects the difference between us—those who cherish and bring life—and the despicable terrorists whose very purpose is to kill us and cut lives short.”
Join the Discussion