First Sgt. Igor Pibenev, a decorated Israeli police officer who killed more than a dozen Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel, has died by suicide, Israeli authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
Pibenev, who was stationed in Hebron at the time of the attack, drove to his home in the border community of Yated upon hearing of the Hamas incursion.
On his way, he encountered and killed at least 13 Hamas gunmen, making him one of the early responders credited with saving numerous lives during the initial hours of the massacre.
He first engaged two attackers near Urim Junction, stopping his vehicle after hearing gunfire, identifying the armed men, and neutralizing them.
Minutes later, he was caught in another firefight with two more terrorists, whom he also killed. Continuing on toward his home, Pibenev killed nine others, including several heading toward the moshav of Nir Yitzhak.
After reuniting with his family in Yated, Pibenev joined the local volunteer security force to defend the community.
“We had trained for scenarios like this, but I never imagined we’d face such a large number of terrorists,”;; he said in a January 2024 interview with the police spokesperson’s unit.
His funeral is scheduled for this evening at 6 p.m. at the Ashkelon Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Hani Liderman-Pibenev, and their three daughters.
His wife had previously spoken about the psychological toll of October 7, describing the lingering trauma many survivors face.
In a social media post three months ago, she wrote about the “silent victims of October 7,”;; urging families to seek professional help for loved ones suffering from post-traumatic stress.
“If there are people around you who have been deteriorating since that Shabbat, turn the world upside down to make sure they get professional help and proper treatment. Don’t try to save them by yourselves,”;; she wrote.
