An Eritrean man named Mulugeta Tsegay has now settled down in Israel after showing great courage during the October 7, 2023, attack. His life changed forever when he helped save an Israeli officer who was badly wounded during the Hamas-led attack from Gaza. When he later visited the officer in the hospital, he asked, “Are you alive?” The officer answered, “I’m alive because of you.” This moment showed how powerful the bond between them had become.
Tsegay is 51 years old and has lived in Israel for more than 15 years. He first came into the country through the Sinai Desert after hearing many good things about the Israeli army from his commanders in the Eritrean Army. Over the years, he brought his wife and children to join him and worked quietly in a bakery in the Negev area. On the morning of the attack, he and two friends were in a taxi going from Netivot to Tel Aviv. They were used to rocket sirens and did not think anything serious would happen. But everything changed when he noticed a car by the road with the driver’s head hanging out of the window.
Tsegay asked the taxi driver to stop so they could help the driver, thinking the man was hurt by rocket shrapnel. But suddenly, gunshots filled the air. The taxi driver shouted that a terrorist was nearby. Everyone ran back to the car, but Tsegay refused to leave the wounded man. He later learned that the man was Lt. Col. Y from the Israel Defense Forces. Using skills he learned as a commando in Eritrea, he pulled the injured officer out, put him on the ground, and made a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Bullets flew above their heads, but he stayed by the officer, telling him, “I’m with you till the end.”
At one point, three men appeared, and Tsegay thought they were Israeli soldiers. He waved to them, but they were Palestinian terrorists who immediately opened fire. He said he was sure they would both die, yet he refused to leave the officer. Minutes later, a separate gun battle happened above them, and when the shooting stopped, a civilian with a gun approached him asking, “Who are you?” Tsegay explained he was an Eritrean helping the officer. The officer confirmed his story, and shortly after, IDF soldiers arrived and finally evacuated the commander.
Tsegay was told it was too dangerous to return home, so he walked alone to the village of Yakhini, passing dead bodies on the road while wearing clothes soaked with the officer’s blood. When he reached a sukkah, he broke down in tears and prayed. A local resident recognized him as someone working in the Netivot bakery and invited him inside. A religious neighbor gave him coffee and asked him to say a Jewish blessing. Even though the neighbor had mixed salt with the sugar by mistake, they welcomed him into their home and let him stay the night as they watched the heartbreaking news of the attacks on TV.
The next day, he returned home and reported himself safe to the police because many people thought he had been killed or taken to Gaza. He could not sleep for days as he replayed everything that happened in his mind. But he said he believed God protected him. A week later, the wounded IDF officer contacted him after reading his story online and invited him to the hospital. Their reunion was emotional, and since then, they speak every day like family.
Because of his bravery, the officer contacted Israel’s Ministry of Interior to help Tsegay get legal status. Former Interior Minister Moshe Arbel said it was important to thank someone who risked his life for an Israeli soldier. Tsegay received residency and moved into a small apartment with help from the state. His citizenship is expected to be approved soon.
Why was Tsegay granted residency in Israel?
He was granted residency because he risked his life to save an IDF officer during the October 7 attack, and Israeli leaders wanted to honor his bravery.
The story took another beautiful turn when Tsegay’s teenage daughter was allowed to join the IDF like her Israeli friends. She is also converting to Judaism with support from the officer’s family. Today, Tsegay and the officer share a deep bond that will last a lifetime. The officer says he survived only because of a miracle, and that Mulugeta Tsegay was at the center of that miracle.