The names of only six of the 14 dead in yesterday's slaughter of Israeli bus passengers on the Hadera-Afula highway have been released. The identification process is a difficult one because of the tremendous fire that engulfed the bus when the carbomb exploded alongside it. The six are:
* IDF Sgt. Nir Nachum, 20, of Carmiel. He was driving alongside the bus when the explosion occurred. He served as supplies officer for his battalion - a job usually given to more veteran soldiers.
* Border Guard First Sgt. Iman Sarouf, 20, from the Druze village of Usafiyya, who was serving in Hevron. He was buried in his hometown this afternoon, and eulogized as a bashful but courageous young man.
* Ofrah Burger, 56, from Hod HaSharon, survived by her husband Ze'ev and three children. A long-time elementary school teacher, she was active in local environmental causes.
* Iris Lavi, 69, from Netanya
* Sgt.-Major (res.) Eliezer Moskowitz, 40, from Petach Tikvah. He is survived by his parents.
* Cpl. Eilona Hanukiev, 20, of Hadera
Some 25 victims from the attack remain hospitalized, including Noam (bat Ayelet) Chen, a 2.5-year old girl who suffered wounds to her chest and stomach and is in serious but stable condition. Four others - including Avraham ben Hasifa, 39, and Shalom ben Tamara - were seriously hurt, and seven are listed in "moderate" condition.
This was the seventh Palestinian terrorist attack along the same highway since the beginning of the year; they claimed a total of 43 innocent lives. Reports indicate the bomb contained dozens of kilograms of explosives, possibly as many as 100 kg (220 lbs.). The explosion was extremely powerful, resulting in a wide radius in which the dead and wounded were found. The combination of dozens of kilos of explosives, the bus' fuel supply, and bullets in the soldier-passengers' guns all contributed to start the horrendous fire that trapped and killed many of the passengers. Police believe that the terrorists were accompanied or preceded to the site by accomplices who may have acted as scouts to make sure the area was clear of police or soldiers.
* IDF Sgt. Nir Nachum, 20, of Carmiel. He was driving alongside the bus when the explosion occurred. He served as supplies officer for his battalion - a job usually given to more veteran soldiers.
* Border Guard First Sgt. Iman Sarouf, 20, from the Druze village of Usafiyya, who was serving in Hevron. He was buried in his hometown this afternoon, and eulogized as a bashful but courageous young man.
* Ofrah Burger, 56, from Hod HaSharon, survived by her husband Ze'ev and three children. A long-time elementary school teacher, she was active in local environmental causes.
* Iris Lavi, 69, from Netanya
* Sgt.-Major (res.) Eliezer Moskowitz, 40, from Petach Tikvah. He is survived by his parents.
* Cpl. Eilona Hanukiev, 20, of Hadera
Some 25 victims from the attack remain hospitalized, including Noam (bat Ayelet) Chen, a 2.5-year old girl who suffered wounds to her chest and stomach and is in serious but stable condition. Four others - including Avraham ben Hasifa, 39, and Shalom ben Tamara - were seriously hurt, and seven are listed in "moderate" condition.
This was the seventh Palestinian terrorist attack along the same highway since the beginning of the year; they claimed a total of 43 innocent lives. Reports indicate the bomb contained dozens of kilograms of explosives, possibly as many as 100 kg (220 lbs.). The explosion was extremely powerful, resulting in a wide radius in which the dead and wounded were found. The combination of dozens of kilos of explosives, the bus' fuel supply, and bullets in the soldier-passengers' guns all contributed to start the horrendous fire that trapped and killed many of the passengers. Police believe that the terrorists were accompanied or preceded to the site by accomplices who may have acted as scouts to make sure the area was clear of police or soldiers.