The vicious terror attack on October 7th 2023, Simchat Torah 5784, was one of the most dramatic and disturbing events in the history of the State of Israel, with unprecedented effects on the battlefront and the home front alike. It took the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis, including hundreds of men and women in the line of duty within the police force and the IDF, and left thousands injured, while over 200 people were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists, many of them still in captivity.
Along with the unbearably heavy toll of the attack, from the very beginning we were exposed to outstanding and unfathomable acts of heroism, including those carried out by ordinary Israeli citizens, who operated courageously in a moment of tangible risk to their own life, out of a sense of shared fate and mutual responsibility, with the goal of saving human lives.
As such, the President has elected to establish a unique decoration-
"The Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism," which will be presented to these citizens, thus conveying respect toward and acknowledgement of its recipients and, no less important, affording honor, pride and hope to Israeli society and the entire State of Israel.
"The Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism" will be presented by the President in an official state ceremony,
to citizens who operated courageously in a moment of tangible risk to their own life, out of a sense of shared fate and mutual responsibility,
with the goal of saving human lives, excluding security forces, members of the police force or the military. The award can be conferred posthumously
as well, and the advisory Board will be permitted to exclude citizens who were recognized as members of the security forces, according to Advisory Board members' discretion.
The President determined that the Advisory Board which makes recommendations for candidates for the Award will be chaired by Justice Prof. Elyakim Rubinstein, Deputy President (Ret.) of the Supreme Court of Israel.
Source:
https://www.president.gov.il/en/awards/