Mother of fallen YASAM fighter reacts sharply to Channel 12 News blunder

Three years after losing her son, YASAM fighter Eli Elikashvili (of blessed memory), Lea did not expect to see his face on the television screen again — certainly not in a report with a negative context. She was not watching the broadcast in real time; rather, she was alerted to the incident when her phone was flooded with messages and screenshots from people who had recognized him.

"I did not see it live. I was exposed to it when I suddenly received a million messages and videos from people who took a screenshot — and suddenly I see my son in the picture, — she said. — He died for tragic reasons while serving in the police and was an outstanding guy, the salt of the earth."

For Lea and her family, this moment was far more than a simple case of mistaken identity. The photograph of Eli, whom they have worked tirelessly to commemorate for three years, suddenly appeared in a report dealing with allegedly corrupt political appointments within the KKL.

"And then I see him in such a negative report — I was literally traumatized, — she said with pain. — The family was shocked. The YASAM commander and the district commander called me; they clarified that it was not their mistake and expressed their sympathy regarding the distress caused."

Lea emphasized that the loss continues to accompany the family every hour of every day. From her perspective, a single photo broadcast by mistake reopened a wound that the family carries with them constantly. Beyond the personal shock, she is deeply concerned about the impression left on viewers who did not know her son.

"The mistake has already been made. You don't do things like that. Anyone who doesn't know Eli will think it's really him, — she said. — Insane. Simply insane. People couldn't believe their eyes."

The pain is compounded by the fact that the family has invested immense effort into sharing who Eli was and preserving his image. To have that work undermined by a report that placed his face in a shameful context has been devastating.

"We are dealing with difficulty and loss every day, every hour anyway. We are constantly working on commemorating him and showing how special he was — and then he appears under such a negative and shameful report," she said.

Elikashvili (of blessed memory) died in a motorcycle accident in March 2023, shortly before he was scheduled to attend an officers' course. As reported, his image was shown during the "Secrets of the KKL" segment on Channel 12 News due to a case of mistaken identity between him and a forester named Shahar Maimon.