The Mount Carmel wildfire left 42 people dead. Most of the casualties were Israeli Jews, but several among the dead were Israeli Druze. The victims were on their way to help rescue 500 Palestinian Arab terrorists in a prison on Mount Carmel. All 500 terrorists, who had been imprisoned for violent and vicious crimes against Israelis, were saved and are safe.
The last Israeli to perish was Israel’s top policewoman who died on Monday, Dec. 6, a day after the fire was extinguished, of wounds suffered four days before. Deputy Commander Ahuva Tomer, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, was head of the police department of Haifa, Israel’s third largest city. The 53-year old woman was escorting a bus of prison guards who were rushing to evacuate the imprisoned terrorists when both the bus and her police car were engulfed in flames.
In an ironic twist, just moments before climbing into her vehicle and setting off on her mission, Tomer was interviewed on Israeli TV, calling the fire “heartbreaking.” Minutes later, her police car was on fire. In his eulogy, Yitzhak Aharonovich, Israel’s public security minister, called her a “woman of valor,” describing her as “a leader through and through.”
On Monday afternoon, Israel’s President Shimon Peres called the moment of her death “the height of her valor,” telling the thousands of mourners in attendance, “She had an extraordinary personality, a rare combination of a mother and a commander.”
Also among the dead was Elad Riven, a 16-year old volunteer firefighter from Haifa. An only child, Riven was at school when he heard about the fire. He called his mother and asked her to bring him his volunteer uniform so he could join in the rescue effort.
“We lost a true hero during Chanukah, the festival of courage,” noted Meni Rabinovich, the school’s middle school director.
The following is a list of the other 40 victims of the Mount Carmel fire (the family of one of the victims requested that he/she remain anonymous).
Shimon Dayan, 28, of Karmiel, is survived by his wife. He served in the Nachshon unit.
Derman Kiril, 28, of Afula, is survived by his wife. He served at the Gilboa Prison.
Tanya Lansky, 23, of Ashdod, served in an unidentified prison.
Avi Noach, 34, of Jerusalem, is survived by his wife and two children. He served in the Jerusalem detention facility.
Tafash A’adel, 33, of Beit Jan, is survived by a wife and two children.
Wassim Abu-Reish, 28, of Yarkha, is survived by a wife and three children.
Wasim Abu Rish, 32, of Kfar Yarka, served in the Rimonim Prison.
Warden Rafi Alkalai, 54, of Lapid, is survived by his wife and five children. He served at the “Nir” school as a commander of the officers’ course.
Inbal Amoyal, 26, of Dimona, is survived by her parents and four siblings. She had just finished a Master’s degree in criminology and looked forward to serving in the nation’s security force like her brothers. She served in various prison facilities.
Ayala Yifrach, 23, of Kiryat Bialik, served in the Kishon Prison. She was laid to rest at the military cemetery in Haifa.
Yaron Bermi, 31, of Mevuim is survived by his wife and one child. He served at the Dekel Prison.
Ro’i Biton, 28, of Kiryat Gat, is survived by his wife who is eight months pregnant and a young son.
Warden Faviola Bohadana, 48, mother of two, of Ness Ziona. She served as company commander of the officers’ course in the “Nir” school.
Police Dep.-Comdr. Lior Boker, 57, Northern District Operations Branch commander, promoted posthumously to Assistant-Commander.
Maor Ganon, 27, of Gan Yavne, married with one child, was a member of the Nachshon unit.
Dimitry Gerstein, 27, of Tel Aviv, served in the Nachshon unit.
Hagai Jorno, 28, of Kiryat Gat, survived by his wife and young daughter, was laid to rest in his city’s military cemetery on Friday.
Calai Chen Kefir, 35, of Gan Yavne, is survived by his wife and three children. He served in the Logistics Department at Israel Prisons Service Headquarters.
Efrat Chen, 35, of Ra’anana, served in the Neve Tirza Prison for women.
Topaz Even Chen Klein, 28, of Rehovot, served in the Office of the Spokesperson. She is survived by her husband.
Dimitry Kozlov, 45, a resident of Be’er Sheva, is survived by his wife and one child, served in the Ketziot Prison.
Aviram Levy, 32, married, of Tiberias, is survived by his wife and one child. He served in the Nachshon unit.
Maurice Levy, 32, single, of Tiberias, served in the “Nir” school.
Calai Chen Kefir, 35, of Gan Yavne, is survived by his wife and three children. He served in the Logistics Department at IPS Headquarters.
Iliya Langman, 31, of Nahariya, served in the Kishon Prison and is survived by his wife.
Uriel Malcha, 32, of Karnei Shomron, is survived by his wife and five children. He served at Oholei Kedar Prison.
Police Ch.-Supt. Yitzchak Melina, 46.
Kfir Ohana, 30, of Ofakim, served at the Oholei Kedar prison. He is survived by his wife Olga, who is nine months pregnant, and a 2-year-old daughter..
Hanan Ohayon, 31, married, of Nazareth Illit, is survived by his wife and two children. He served in the Shita Prison.
Ronen Peretz, 34, of Ashkelon, married, survived by his wife Shirit and two young children.
Hagai Pinkar, 31, of Yerucham, is survived by his wife and a child. He served in a prison.
Oshrat Pinto, 26, of Tzfat is survived by her parents and siblings.
Vadislav Rachamimov, 30, of Be’er Sheva, served in the Nafcha Prison.
Ayas Sarchan, 30, of Kfar Marar, is survived by his wife and one child. He served in the Ofek Prison.
Beiber Shadi, 35, lived in Kfar Jat.
Yakir Suissa, 26, of Dimona, served in the Ramon prison. He spoke to his sister shortly before the tragedy and she heard him recite the Traveler’s Prayer. His father died after suffering a heart attack three years ago during a terrorist bombing.
Adal Tafesh, 33, of Beit Jan, is survived by his wife and two children..
Siyum Tzagi, 31, of Netivot, is survived by his wife and three children.
Eran Weisel, 31, of Kiryat Bialik, is survived by his wife and a child.
Rami Yisraeli, 33, of Be’er Sheva, is survived by his wife and two children. He served in the Dekel prison.