It was a most difficult day for the residents of Kibbutz Nirim as two of its members were killed by Hamas rocket fire shortly before the ceasefire began. Four others were wounded and transported to the hospital with one listed in moderate condition and the remainder with less severe injuries.

Kibbutz security officer Zevik (Ze’ev) Etzion HY”D, 55, was killed in the mortar attack. He was gravely wounded and pronounced dead on the scene a short time later. Etzion is survived by his wife Naveh and five children. Kibbutz officials report Zevik was a Magen David Adom volunteer for the past 30 years and was active in the community, always seeking to assist those in need.

The second victim, who was gravely wounded, died later in Soroka Medical Center. Shachar Melamed HY”D, 43, was the son of veteran kibbutz members. He is survived by his wife Anat and three children. He was a kibbutz farm worker as well as an advisor in agriculture affairs.

They became the fifth and sixth civilians killed in Operation Protective Edge and their deaths bring the death toll of civilians and military personnel to seventy.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)