The unexpected success of the Israeli counter-terrorism series “Fauda” on Netflix a few years ago was influenced by its depiction of the prolonged conflict between Israel and Hamas. The show received numerous awards for its portrayal of the intense world of special operations and terrorism. However, the distinction between fiction and reality is becoming less clear, as the ongoing war in Gaza is impacting the cast of “Fauda.”
In the second season of “Fauda,” Idan Amedi became part of the cast, playing the character Sagi Tzur, a soldier in the Mista’arvim special forces unit engaged in undercover operations among the Palestinians. Amedi, born to Kurdish Jewish parents expelled from Iraq in the 1950s, was already a recognized figure in Israel as a singer.
His public presence began in 2010 when he participated in “Kokhav Nolad,” the Israeli equivalent of Britain’s “Pop Idol,” where he performed a song about soldiers, marking the start of his music career with this piece as his debut single. Over the years, he released five albums, with his fourth, “Chelek Mehazman,” in 2017. It was after this album that he ventured into acting, taking on the role of Tzur in “Fauda.”
However, acting didn’t mark Amedi’s second career; it was actually his third pursuit. Similar to all young Israelis, he had the mandatory military service commitment. In 2005, he was enlisted into the IDF’s Combat Engineering Corps. His initial single, “Pain of Warriors,” drew inspiration from his time in the army. When Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Amedi was one of the tens of thousands of Israeli reservists summoned back to active service.
Combat engineers are playing a significant role in the ongoing war, primarily taking place in urban areas and complicated by Hamas’s network of tunnels and bunkers. Idan Amedi, renowned as a singer and actor, frequently featured in IDF videos and expressed support for the war. He emphasized the importance of eliminating Hamas to safeguard Israeli civilians, even declaring his willingness to abstain from performing or singing for a year due to his commitment as a soldier. In early December, he was among the first Israeli troops to reach the coast after traversing Gaza through intense fighting.
In “Fauda,” characters frequently experience injuries or fatalities, mirroring the harsh reality of war. Unfortunately, the violence unleashed by Hamas last year has already impacted the show. Lior Waitzman, the sound engineer who contributed to the theme song, was killed in the initial attack on October 7. On November 11, Matan Meir, the production manager, lost his life to an IED in a Hamas tunnel. Then, on January 8, Amedi’s fortune took a turn for the worse. He sustained serious injuries from shrapnel during an operation aimed at destroying a tunnel complex in southern Gaza.
As per Amedi’s father, he was transported to Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer following the assault and underwent surgery to extract shrapnel. While his injuries are deemed serious, his life is not at risk, and he is presently in a stable condition. The creators of “Fauda” have commended him as a “true hero” – acknowledging the risks akin to those faced by heroes.
