Daniel Be'eri, principal of the school Amit Eitan in Ma'ale Adumim, spoke this morning on Kan Reshet Bet, paying tribute to his former student, Staff Sergeant Omer Van Gelder, who was killed in action in the northern Gaza Strip.
“Omer was truly special, warm-hearted, and full of energy. Giving to others was a core value for him,” Be'eri said.
He added that the school community would come together to remember Omer and share stories about the kind of person he was. “This is a deeply difficult time. We’ll support the students, honor Omer’s memory, and try to find strength together.”
Omer, 22, from Ma'ale Adumim, was also a relative of Omer Moshe Gealdor, who died in a drone strike in southern Lebanon in November 2024. Gaeldor himself was the son-in-law of terror victim Yaron Gispan.
Omer and two of his comrades from the Givati Brigade fell in Jabaliya. They were traveling in a Hummer when it was struck by an IED, killing all three.