Matan Meir, Netflix producer for ‘Fauda,’ killed fighting Hamas

A production crew member who worked on the Netflix drama series “Fauda” was killed fighting Hamas in northern Gaza over the weekend, the show announced.

Matan Meir, a reservist in Israel’s elite 551st Brigade’s 697th Battalion and longtime crew member on the award-winning show, was killed in action in Gaza on Saturday, the show’s official X account wrote.

“We are devastated to share that one of our Fauda family members, Matan Meir, was killed in action in Gaza,” the account posted.

“Matan was an integral crew member. The cast and crew are heartbroken by this tragic loss. We extend our condolences to Matan’s family and friends. May his soul rest in peace.”

Meir, a 38-year-old reservist, was one of four soldiers of the 697th Battalion killed by a blast from a booby-trapped tunnel shaft next to a mosque in the Beit Hanoun area, the Times of Israel reported.

“Fauda” which means “chaos” in Arabic, was created by former IDF soldiers Lior Raz and Avi Isaacharoff and stars Raz as a commander in the IDF’s Mista’arvim undercover counter-terrorism unit.

One of Israel’s most popular series, “Fauda” has also been criticized by some for “whitewashing” the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine.

In addition to working on “Fauda,” Meir also worked on other productions including “The Police,” “Manayek,” “The Dream Owner,” and “Magpie,” among other series.

The series’ co-creator mourned Meir as a man “with a heart of gold full of kindness and giving.”

“I loved you, Matan. You were always available to me at every moment. A man of work and giving out of true love,” Raz wrote in a statement to Ynet.

The main producer of “Fauda,” Liat Benasoli, remembered Meir as a “man with a different soul.”

“A real moshavnik and a man with a real joy in life. A production man who only wanted to help and do for others. And all with a smile and love,” he said. “We will miss him very much.”

Meir had served for five years in the 551st Brigade’s 697th Battalion of which the fighters in the unit were the “supreme of Israel,” wrote Channel 13 reporter Aviram Elad on X.

The four other soldiers who were killed were Maj. (res.) Moshe Yedidyah Leiter, 39, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Yossi Hershkovitz, 44, Master Sgt. (res.) Sergey Shmerkin, 32, and Master Sgt. (res.) Netanel (Nati) Harush, 34.