Captain Daniel Peretz, from Yad Binyamin, was a Company Commander who was commended for his bravery during the October 7 massacre, when he was murdered by Hamas terrorists.
Originally from South Africa, Peretz moved to Yad Binyamin in 2014 with the rest of his family before serving in the IDF's 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade.
Daniel's father and chairman of World Mizrahi, Rabbi Doron Peretz, described his son's bravery on October 7, as well as the events surrounding his captivity, in a previous interview conducted with The Jerusalem Post.
On October 7, Daniel immediately ran to his tank and fought valiantly, saving the lives of many of his fellow soldiers, as well as civilians. Eventually, terrorists surrounded his tank, and he was taken hostage, according to his father, Doron, in an interview with the Post.
IDF hero killed on 10/7 laid to rest in Israel
For three weeks, Daniel’s family received no information on whether he was even alive until additional evidence suggested that he had been abducted and was being held hostage in Gaza.
Circumstantial evidence from his cellphone location, along with other indications, such as blood found near his tank’s location, was enough to declare that Daniel had been taken hostage.
Since then, the Peretz family hadn't received any update about his well-being until the IDF informed the family of his death in March of 2024.
Daniel embodied the essence of modern-day Judaism and Zionism. Growing up with a strong adherence to both religion and Jewish nationalism, Daniel had a social outreach that extended to people covering the spectrum of Jewish life - religious and secular, Israeli and South African, as well as others from around the world.
In addition to his love for his family, friends, and community, Daniel had a passion for extreme sports.
“He became this unbelievable wakeboarder, frequenting [the lake at] Menachem Begin Park in Tel Aviv. He’ll go off the ramp and do a 360 flip," Daniel's father said in the interview.
Daniel's sister, Shira, said that Daniel would have wanted her to continue living for him, because that is who he was. He celebrated life; was always making the most of it, and always being positive.