Boy injured during Friday family hike dies
Boy injured during Friday family hike diesצילום: באדיבות המשפחה

A 10-year old boy injured from a fall in Tze’elim Canyon on Friday was declared dead at the Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva on Sunday, a hospital spokesperson said.

The incident occurred during a group hike for families in the Tze’elim Canyon area in the Judean Desert.

Dr. Omri Nir, along with his son, Ilai, were both severely injured when they fell from a cliff on the canyon’s edge.

Nir, who had been attempting to rescue his son, Ilai, after he fell off the cliff, slipped and fell as well. He was declared dead at the scene, while Ilai was listed in critical condition.

“Ilai, 10, was evacuated last weekend after being critically injured from a fall from a great height in the Tze’elim Canyon,” the hospital spokesperson said. “Over the weekend doctors worked to stabilize his condition, but unfortunately his condition worsened, causing irreversible brain damage. This afternoon, after a further deterioration of his condition, doctors were forced to declare his death. His family has agreed to donate his organs.”

The IDF’s elite 669 rescue unit was deployed from Arad, and recovered both the father and son. The latter was evacuated to Soroka Hospital.

Dr. Nir was a researcher of modern history and the politics of Lebanon, and was an expert on Shiite Islam and Hezbollah. He was a professor at Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University, the Ben Gurion University and the Achva College.

The funerals for Dr. Omri Nir and his son Ilai are scheduled for Monday at 3:00 pm in the Kfar Vitkin cemetery.