Avihai Levy

June 24, 2005 - Avihai Levy, 17, of Beit Hagai was killed in a drive-by terrorist shooting at a hitchhiking stop about 200 meters from the entrance to Beit Hagai, south of Hebron.

Avihai Levy, along with several other teenagers, was waiting for a lift at about 16:45 Friday afternoon at the hitchhiking stop near Beit Hagai. Avihai was on his way to Beersheba, where he was a counselor of a Bnei Akiva youth group. Three or four terrorists riding in a car saw them standing at the hitchhiking station, and initially drove by before making a U-turn and heading back in their direction. As Amir Azulai and his wife, also from Beit Hagai, stopped to offer the boys a lift, the terrorists opened fire. Avihai was pronounced dead on the scene. Aviad Mansour, fatally wounded, died on June 26. Another teenager along with the Azulais were wounded. The Islamic Jihad and Fatah al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.

Judea Brigade Commander Colonel Moti Baruch said that the terrorists who carried the latest shooting attack took advantage of the recent easing of restrictions on Palestinian movement in the southern Mount Hebron area.

Avihai, who had lived in Bet Hagai with his family for many years, was a student at the Kiryat Arba High School yeshiva. His friend, Avner Lior, related that he was good at basketball and a computer whiz. Yair Lior, the spokesman for Beit Hagai, described him as a happy, friendly boy who was full of life.

Avihai Levy will be buried in the Mount of Olives Cemetery in Jerusalem. He is survived by his parents, Yehiel and Hava, and four younger siblings aged 4 to 14: Elyasaf, Yahel, Liam and Ahinoam.