​​​Support Ori’s Recovery Journey​

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On December 20, 2023, Ori, then a 20-year-old combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade, entered, together with his platoon, a hostile building in Gaza. The explosion of a booby-trapped door changed his life – and his face – beyond recognition. Ori was defined as critically wounded. After tireless, almost miraculous medical efforts in the field and a heroic evacuation, Ori reached the hospital, his life still in imminent danger.

Since that terrible day, Ori has undergone more than 20 surgeries and is in the midst of a grueling rehabilitation process.

He suffers from a severe traumatic brain injury that affects his cognitive abilities and vision, serious injuries to both hands, and extensive and complex facial injuries. His face was shattered — bones and blood vessels destroyed — leaving him with a particularly complex challenge of facial reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Ori has been described as “the most severely facially wounded soldier of the war.” His ongoing rehabilitation requires a series of complex surgeries, beginning in September and continuing for about a year and a half. These surgeries are essential to restore his ability to eat, speak, breathe, and regain an aesthetic facial appearance — all crucial not only for physical recovery, but also for his emotional healing as a young man, with a future ahead of him.

Despite everything, Ori remains a determined fighter. With his optimism, humor, and courage, he inspires other wounded soldiers and even takes an active role in the effort to return the hostages from Gaza (Watch below Ori speaking at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, June 2025).

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The next stage of Ori’s recovery is critical. Over the coming 18 months, he will undergo a series of complex reconstructive surgeries in the United States. These procedures are essential for restoring his ability to eat, speak, breathe, and regain a natural appearance—basic functions every young man deserves.

While Israel’s Ministry of Defense covers surgery costs and travel for Ori and one caregiver, Ori needs both his parents by his side, as well as additional support to manage living and travel expenses. His family has already endured nearly two years of unimaginable hardship, and they cannot do this alone
This is where you can help.

Every donation—big or small—will ease the burden on Ori’s family, bring him closer to recovery, and remind him that he is not alone. Together, we can give Ori the chance to rebuild his life, both physically and emotionally.

Please stand with Ori. Help him heal. Show him, and all of our wounded soldiers, that we never leave a soldier behind.

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​The Dror for the Wounded Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) with a Federal Tax ID of​ 26-4528405