Mortar shell
Mortar shellIsrael news photo: Flash 90

The name of the second man killed by a mortar shell that struck Kibbutz Nirim Tuesday has been cleared for publication. The victim is Shahar Melamed, 43. He is survived by three children and his wife, Anat.

Melamed was born in the kibbutz and worked as manager of its garage. He is described as an exemplary family man, who devoted all of his time and energy to raising his children.

Melamed  was pronounced dead at the Soroka Hospital on Tuesday evening. He was killed by the same mortar round that killed Ze’evik Etzion, 55, the security coordinator of Kibbutz Nirim, who was critically wounded and shortly thereafter died of his wounds.

Etzion is survived by his wife and five children. Five other people were wounded in the rocket attack, and they are all receiving treatment in hospital.

The fatal attack came just as the Palestinian Authority (PA) claimed that Israel had agreed to a long-term ceasefire.