Two Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Gaza on Friday afternoon, bringing the week's total war casualties to 13. The two were engaged in providing protection for soldiers searching for the remains of soldiers killed two days before.
Sgt. Rotem Adam, 21, was buried in a military funeral in his hometown of Rishon LeTzion at 3 AM this morning. Sgt. Alexei Chayat, 20, of Be'er Sheva, immigrated to Israel on his own three years ago, and was followed a year later by his sister. Their mother died a while ago, and their father, who visited his children six weeks ago on a Jewish Agency program, still lives in Russia. The sister said, "Alexei immigrated to here, died here, and he will be buried here."
The two soldiers were killed by Palestinian sniper fire in Rafiach. One of the soldiers had taken up a position in a five-story building. An elderly woman in the building complained that she was thirsty, and the soldier agreed to accompany her to the first floor for water. He thus left his protected position and went to an unprotected spot. Snipers shot and killed him, and then opened fire on other soldiers who went to rescue him. In all, two soldiers were killed, and two were moderately wounded. The latter were taken to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva, where the condition of one has improved to "light."
IDF Gaza Commander Brig.-Gen. Shmuel Zakkai said that he had no criticism of the soldiers' behavior: "They understood that they couldn't keep a family without food, and they acted in an ethical manner."
The search for the remains of the five soldiers killed on Wednesday ended yesterday morning. Three soldiers were buried on Friday, and the two other soldiers will be buried today: Lt. Aviv Hakami in Ashdod, and Sgt. Zohar Smeilov in Ofakim.
Sgt. Rotem Adam, 21, was buried in a military funeral in his hometown of Rishon LeTzion at 3 AM this morning. Sgt. Alexei Chayat, 20, of Be'er Sheva, immigrated to Israel on his own three years ago, and was followed a year later by his sister. Their mother died a while ago, and their father, who visited his children six weeks ago on a Jewish Agency program, still lives in Russia. The sister said, "Alexei immigrated to here, died here, and he will be buried here."
The two soldiers were killed by Palestinian sniper fire in Rafiach. One of the soldiers had taken up a position in a five-story building. An elderly woman in the building complained that she was thirsty, and the soldier agreed to accompany her to the first floor for water. He thus left his protected position and went to an unprotected spot. Snipers shot and killed him, and then opened fire on other soldiers who went to rescue him. In all, two soldiers were killed, and two were moderately wounded. The latter were taken to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva, where the condition of one has improved to "light."
IDF Gaza Commander Brig.-Gen. Shmuel Zakkai said that he had no criticism of the soldiers' behavior: "They understood that they couldn't keep a family without food, and they acted in an ethical manner."
The search for the remains of the five soldiers killed on Wednesday ended yesterday morning. Three soldiers were buried on Friday, and the two other soldiers will be buried today: Lt. Aviv Hakami in Ashdod, and Sgt. Zohar Smeilov in Ofakim.