1 2 3 4 5 122 123 Chapter Eight | Security This slogan kept all fighters standing in more than fi�een thousand security events. "The wonderful group that I had the privilege of commanding operated in all security forma�ons - from maintaining Sisyphean and dangerous fences on the contact lines to face-to-face assaults on terrorists, from rescuing the wounded under fire to rescuing soldiers from a burning tank, and more." 20 Seven department employees were injured during their ac�vi�es. Gideon Rivlin (May God Avenge His Death) was killed when he stepped on a bomb in the Morag greenhouses. Another six members of the Security Department, including Captain Ami Shaked, were injured in various incidents. When the number of terrorist a�acks increased, especially on the routes inside Gush Ka�f and the roads leading to it, where the Arab popula�on also traveled, there was a need to build a road designated only for the residents of Gush Ka�f for their safety and to reduce the risks on the road. A�er some misgivings, the Kissufim road was opened, straight from the Kissufim checkpoint to Gush Ka�f. This road, which passed over the Gaza Road, did manage to increase the residents' sense of security, but the terrorists managed to reach that road as well, killing quite a few residents, soldiers and visitors. 5500 mortar shells - hits and losses On the 6th of Shevat 5761 (01/30/2001), something happened in the Gaza Strip and Israel: A mortar bomb directly hit the residen�al home of the Nachum family in Netzarim. The home suffered some damage, but none of its occupants were injured. A new era began in Gush Ka�f se�lements - For five years, bombs fell in all the se�lements of Gush Ka�f, causing physical and mental injuries. Five years, during which 5500 mortar shells and Qassam rockets fell on the Gaza Strip according to a count conducted in the spring of 5765 (April 2005). Despite the many miracles, the mortars took a heavy toll in casual�es. On Saturday night, the 8th of Kislev 5762 (11/24/2001), the residents of Kfar Darom gathered at the se�lement's basketball court for the Shabbat assembly of the Bnei Akiva organiza�on. Mortar shells landed in the field, and a reservist, Barak Madmon (z"l), a 26 year-old from Holon, who was securing the ceremony, was directly hit by a shell and killed on the spot. On the eve of Yom Kippur 5765 (09/24/2004), Tiferet Tartner (z"l), a 24-year-old girl from Jerusalem who lived in Neve Dekalim a�er serving in na�onal service, was killed by a mortar shell. Tiferet was the first civilian to be killed as a result of being hit by a mortar shell. About three months later, on the 13th of Cheshvan 5765 (12/28/2004), an IDF soldier, First Sergeant Michael Chizik (z"l), a 21-year-old from Tiberias, was killed by two mortar bombs at the outpost near Morag, and six IDF soldiers were injured. On the 2nd of Tamuz 5765 (06/21/2004), a 37-year-old Thai worker who lived in Kfar Darom was killed by mortar fire in Kfar Darom. On the Hanukkah holiday, the 2nd of Tevet 5765 (12/14/2004) a 20-year-old Thai worker was killed by a mortar shell while she was working in the greenhouses of Ganei Tal.21 On the 29th of Iyar 5765 (06/07/2005), at approximately 14:30, Amnon Ditor le� his packing house in Ganei Tal and joined his wife for lunch at his home. Ten minutes later, a neighbor called him and informed him that there had been an explosion near his greenhouse. This is how Amnon described what happened: "When I arrived at the greenhouse, I didn't see anything. I peeped at the packing house and realized the magnitude of the disaster. In the middle of the packing house, on the table where my workers were si�ng and sor�ng chive flowers, a Qassam had fell. Some of the workers were s�ll si�ng around the table, some were bleeding near the packing table, some were already dead and some were shocked by what happened. I immediately called the council's emergency center and informed them of the a�ack. Within minutes, ambulances from the council and the army arrived and began handling the situa�on. Three workers were killed - two of them Arab and one Chinese - and five Arab workers were injured to varying degrees." 22 In other cases, the shoo�ng ended with several wounded. On the 2nd of Nisan 5761 (04/03/2001), Ariel Yered, a one-year-old baby from the se�lement of Atzmona, was seriously injured by a mortar shell that landed in the se�lement. His mother, Leah Yered, was also injured. 1 Employees of the council's security department evacuate injured people from a vehicle hit by a bomb 2 A vehicle damaged by bomb shrapnel 3 A large hole in the wall and extensive destruc�on from a mortar shell dropped on a house in Neve Dekalim 4 A mortal shell, one of the 6000 dropped on Gush Ka�f in the last five years of its existence 5 A hole that opened in the roof of a house in Neve Dekalim due to the fall of a mortal shell A miracle on the way to Tel Ka�fa On the way home, to Tel Ka�fa, about one kilometer before the se�lement, I suddenly saw in front of me on the road a terrorist with a Kalashnikov aimed at me. He shot 35 bullets at point blanc. Not only we were not hurt. There was not even a single scratch on the vehicle. I have no idea where I got my courage from. I swerved the vehicle and tried to run him over. At the last second he jumped to the sidelines. The terrorists also fired an RPG missile at us, which fell on the road and did not explode. I pushed down the gas pedal and fled the scene, making sure my wife was safe and sound. I immediately reported to the security coordinator and the call center. I dropped my wife off at home, and I got more strength to call the alert squad, run with a bulletproof vest and a helmet and place the members in posi�ons around the se�lement, for fear that the terrorists would approach the se�lement. Heavy fire was immediately opened towards the gate. Long bursts and three RPG missiles were fired and hit the post. A�er half an hour of heavy firefight between two skilled terrorists and the soldiers, the terrorists were killed. One lightly wounded soldier who was injured by shrapnel, con�nued to fight fiercely despite the injury. It turned out that the terrorists planned to divert all security forces to treat the civilians in the damaged vehicle - us - and, in the mean�me, penetrate the se�lement to carry out a more considerable a�ack. The inspec�on revealed that the terrorists arrived at the beach on a tube; they were dressed in diving suits and fins on their legs, and all the military equipment was placed in a sealed bag. They had an RPG launcher, Kalashnikov rifles, cartridges, grenades and knives. If the terrorists had managed to enter the se�lement and fire all the weapons they had, it would have been a major disaster. The next day, Friday, half an hour before Shabbat, we gathered the children and drove to the place where the miracle happened to us to say the blessing, "Blessed is he who performed a miracle for us in this place." With the children we said "The soul of every living thing", and suddenly each word took on a much deeper meaning. Arieh Odes
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