Avraham Yitzhak

Avraham (Avi) Yitzhak (born 1973) is an Israeli physician and surgeon, currently serving as the medical director of Assuta Hospital in Beersheba. He previously served as the chief medical officer of the Israel Fire and Rescue Services. A reserve officer in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with the rank of colonel, he served, among other roles, as commander of medical services for the Southern Command, head of the Operational Medicine Branch in the Medical Corps, medical officer of the Gaza Division, Head of the Medical Section in Southern Command, medical officer of the Nahal Brigade, and medical officer of the Maglan Unit. Itzhak was the first medical student in Israel of Ethiopian descent and, as of 2017, the highest-ranking IDF officer of Ethiopian origin. He was selected to light a torch at the 62nd Israeli Independence Day ceremony in 2010 as a representative of the IDF. He saved the lives of dozens of IDF soldiers during the Second Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead, and additional military operations.