Elisha Medan, Gaza War hero who lost his legs chosen to light Independence Day torch

Minister Miri Regev, who is in charge of the events of the 77th anniversary of the State of Israel, announced today (Tuesday) to Elisha Medan - a reservist who lost both his legs in Gaza - that he will carry a torch on Mount Herzl on Independence Day.

Medan, a reservist and one of the founders of the settlement of Avigail in the Hebron Hills Regional Council, was seriously injured in an explosion in a house adjacent to a mosque in the northern Gaza Strip. Four reservists were killed in the incident.

Regev said: "Elisha's rehabilitation process after his injury turned into an inspiring journey, during which he conveyed a resounding message about the cohesion in Israeli society and the change in his perceptions after fighting alongside fighters from across the political spectrum. On the last Memorial Day, he moved masses in Israel when he spoke about his experiences in battle and reminded us all: "The fallen soldiers left us a will to uphold – we must be united, build bridges in order to be together. That's the only way we'll win.""

Medan joins the list of torchbearers published so far, including singer Zehava Ben, musician Micha Shitrit, basketball player Danny Avdija, Rachel Edri from Ofakim and captivity survivor Eli Sharabi.

Regarding the decision to choose Zehava Ben, it was said that "her poems brought the piyyutim (liturgical poems), the pain and the love of Mizrahi culture to the center of the Israeli stage."

Sheetrit was described as "one of the leading and influential artists in the history of Israeli music," and Avdija was described as "an exceptional leader on and off the field." Edri was quoted as saying that she "became a well-known symbol all over the world thanks to the resourcefulness she displayed in the face of the terrorists who held her and her husband hostage on October 7."