The levaya of Aviel Hadad, H’yd, an Israeli-Tunisian citizen who was killed in the shooting attack in Djerba on Lag B’Omer, took place on Friday in the southern city of Netivot amid the sounds of explosions in the background from Iron Dome interceptions.

Hadad, z’l, 30, was killed alongside his cousin Binyamin Hadad, H’yd, a 42-year-old French citizen who was buried in his city of residence – Marseille, France.

The levaya was held against the background of flying rockets amid Operation Shield and Arrow. Baruch Hashem, no air raid sirens sounded in the city during the levaya.

“We thought he went to Djerba to bring home a kallah and we would see him rejoicing under the chuppah,” the niftar’s brother-in-law said in his hesped. “At the end, he returned in a coffin.”

At the request of the family, the government representative at the levaya was Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi (Likud).

Following the attack, Karhi stated: “We received the terrible news about two Jews who were murdered in an attack during the traditional hillula at the El Ghriba shul in Djerba – Aviel and his cousin Ben Hadad, H’yd. The pain is great. I had the privilege of meeting the late Aviel and his family, who are connected to their roots with every fiber of their being, while maintaining the Jewish tradition in Djerba. B’nechmat Tzion v’Yerushalayim.”

The Israeli government has been aware of a looming threat to the Jewish kehilla in Djerba for months.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)