Alon Lulu Shamriz

Alon Shamriz, also known as ‘Lulu’, son of Avi and Dikla Shamriz, is the third of their four children. The siblings grew up on Kibbutz Kfar Aza and stayed on the kibbutz, started a business together, and developed their own unique language and sense of humor. Above all, they share a super close bond and deep connection."Alon was always the life of the party, the eternal bachelor, constantly asking 'where are you guys? Let's go out and have some fun,'" his brother Ido recalls. Alon had a zest for life, a passion for basketball, and was an enthusiastic supporter of Maccabi Tel Aviv. He played basketball at Shaar Hanegev and was known for his generosity, always ready to help others. After returning from a trip to South America, Alon was on the verge of beginning his studies in data engineering with the onset of the academic year. He also planned to continue his involvement in the Shamriz brothers' business, which specializes in providing wooden pallet and crate packaging solutions for transporting goods, based in Kibbutz Saad.
Tragically, Alon's aspirations and dreams were abruptly shattered. On Saturday October 7 Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with other communities in southern Israel, was heavily attacked by Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip. This murderous attack targeted innocent civilians, introducing unprecedented violence into their peaceful existence.
On that dreadful day, Alon's family members were at their homes on the kibbutz. His parents stayed at home with his sister Ronni. His brother Jonathan took shelter with his family, and Ido, a member of the kibbutz's emergency squad, set out to defend their beloved home. Alon, living in the kibbutz's younger generation's neighborhood, adhered to instructions and entered the safe room at 6:30 in the morning, with the sound of the bombing alarms. Approximately 150 terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz from four different points, primarily through the younger generation's neighborhood.
Alon's final messages were exchanged with his brother Jonathan:
“They’re coming toward our rooms,” Alon wrote.
“Be quiet,” Jonathan replied, "I’m informing the security forces, be strong. We love you."
Alon responded with a heart emoji 🧡
Shortly after, he was kidnapped by the terrorists into Gaza.
The information about Alon’s condition during captivity primarily came from a Thai hostage who was later released. He reported being with Alon, Yotam Haim, and Samer Al-Talalka throughout the ordeal. He described the harrowing conditions they faced: the initial difficult days in the first tunnel and, after 41 days, a move to a deeper tunnel that made breathing more difficult. Alon and Yotam were subjected to violence and humiliation by their captors.
After 70 days in captivity, on December 15, Alon Shamriz’s life was tragically cut short at the age of 26. He became a victim of a grave misidentification by the IDF, which mistakenly perceived him and two other Israeli hostages, Samer Fouad Al-Talalka and Yotam Haim, as terrorists. This disastrous mistake occurred after an intense battle that resulted in the neutralization of the kidnappers, albeit too late for Alon, Yotam and Samer, who had bravely attempted to signal for help. They had hung signs around the building in Shuja'iyya where they sought refuge, using spices to write "S.O.S" and "Help - 3 kidnapped"(הצילו 3 חטופים).
A subsequent IDF investigation uncovered the tragic circumstances of Alon’s final moments, revealing a story of bravery, resourcefulness, and profound loss. This event, ending in the shocking identification of the three Israeli hostages, Alon among them, left their families, friends and an entire nation utterly devastated.
"When you disappear, they will pray for your return, and when you appear, no one will be able to see you"; these prophetic words, penned by Alon when he was 18, took on a haunting significance. In January 2024, the song "You Are Everyone" (אתה כולם), composed and performed by Yogev Glusman in collaboration with legendary musician Eviatar Banai, was released. Let's listen to this beautiful, moving tribute and spend a moment in remembrance of Lulu:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYHNktT47_Q

Honor the memory of Alon
Alon was kidnapped by Hamas, and later his family was informed that he was tragically killed.
Write a message of support to his family