An Israeli actor who starred in the IDF drama Fauda has revealed the horrific injuries he suffered after being involved in an explosion during the battle against Hamas in Gaza.
Idan Amedi, 35, was seriously injured in an explosion in the Gaza Strip more than two weeks ago and said he was immediately unrecognizable after being hit by shrapnel.
‘I was so burned that no one recognized me. Shrapnel pierced my neck and spine, and I am fortunate that none of them hit major blood vessels,” the actor, who starred in the Netflix drama Fauda, said at a news conference.
He added: “I also have broken bones, including fingers, but I know I will start playing guitar again and hopefully I can be in Fauda season five.”
The explosion that injured Amedi killed six soldiers and injured several others. Local media reported it was “accidentally caused by troops.”
Idan Amedi, 35, was seriously injured in an explosion in the Gaza Strip more than two weeks ago and told a press conference yesterday (pictured) that he was immediately left unrecognizable after being hit by shrapnel.
Ynet said Amedi, who the report said has been in reserve since Hamas launched its attack on southern Israel on October 7, was injured on Monday (photo: Amedi, right, with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, left)
Amedi wiped away tears during the press conference and offered his condolences to the loved ones of the six soldiers killed in the explosion
Amedi wiped away tears during the press conference and expressed his condolences to the loved ones of the fallen soldiers.
“The families need to know that their sons and daughters have made a big difference. This will stay with me all my life. One day I will be able to talk about it,” said the IDF reservist, who lost two close friends in the blast.
The actor, who according to a report by Israeli news site Ynet has been on reserve duty since Hamas launched its attack on October 7, was wounded on January 8.
After being wounded, the IDF reservist was sedated and intubated in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Israel.
Amedi’s arms were still bandaged during the press conference, but the father of two will not need to stay in the hospital for physical rehabilitation. “I’m looking forward to getting my kids back,” he said.
Amedi also told his fans, “I am grateful for all the messages, love and support I have received from thousands of people. My mind is stronger than ever. I’m returning to acting and singing. If I can, I’ll even fight in the war again.’
A reporter from Israeli news channel N12 had spoken to Amedi about an hour before he was injured while he was in Gaza.
Idan Amedi (pictured above), 35, was injured by shrapnel before being sedated and intubated in an Israeli hospital
He was seriously injured, but is in stable condition. His father told Israeli news channel Wala that Amedi’s life was not in immediate danger (photo: Amedi, left, with a fellow IDF soldier)
“I’m fine, I’m a little tired,” he told the channel. “It’s strange to see you here in the middle of this, and suddenly you feel so clean that I don’t know how to act.”
He said he and his fellow IDF soldiers destroyed Hamas tunnels, where they discovered several abandoned weapons.
“We work hard here for everyone’s safety, and we love you,” he said just an hour before he was injured.
An official social media account for Fauda published a post confirming reports that Amedi was injured in action, adding: ‘Idan is one of the kindest, warmest and most passionate people, loved by all of us.
‘His love for music is a very special part of our set. We ask that everyone respects his and his family’s privacy at this time. Let us pray together for Idan’s full and speedy recovery.’
Amedi played Sagi Tzur, a rookie undercover agent in the counter-terrorism unit, during the series’ second through fourth seasons, and is also a successful singer-songwriter in Israel.
‘Fauda’ follows a team of undercover agents from Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security service in their operations against the Palestinians.
Although the show has received critical acclaim, some Palestinians say it downplays their experiences under Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank.
Israel has deployed approximately 360,000 reserve soldiers from all walks of life in its war against Hamas.
Amedi is one of them and regularly documented his days in the IDF on social media. In a video posted in November, he said: “This is not a scene from Fauda, this is real life.”
Amedi played Sagi Tzur (second from right), a rookie undercover agent in the counter-terrorism unit, during the series’ second through fourth seasons, and is also a successful singer-songwriter in Israel
Amedi wrote in a social media post about his service: “To my friends, brothers and sisters currently fighting on any front, there are no better people than you. There is no greater pride than you. I had the privilege of being by your side.”
Amedi (right) was part of the Netflix series Fauda from seasons two to four
In another post, he wrote, “To my friends, brothers and sisters currently fighting on any front, there are no better people than you. There is no greater pride than you. I was privileged to be by your side.”
The actor added that what happened on October 7 kept him and his fellow soldiers motivated to fight Hamas.
Before starring in Fauda, Amedi took part in an Israeli talent show, where he performed several self-composed songs, many of them about his time in the military.
He has even released several albums and the songs he uploaded on YouTube have been viewed by millions of people.
Amedi is married to Israeli social activist Miriam Binyaminov, with whom he shares a daughter and son.
His fans from all over the world took to Amedi’s Instagram account to wish him a speedy recovery and that he can “return home safely.”
