Sgt. Tal Alexei Belitzky

Feb 15, 2003 - Sgt. Tal Alexei Belitzky, 21, of Rishon Lezion was one of four soldiers killed when their tank drove over an explosive device weighing 100 kgs while on patrol in the Gaza Strip. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

At about 8:20 on Saturday morning, the Patton M-60 (Magah) tank was carrying out the morning patrol about one kilometer southeast of Dugit. As part of the lessons learned in the wake of three previous incidents in the Strip in which Merkava tanks were attacked, an armored bulldozer advanced some 50 meters before the tank. The bulldozer apparently passed over the same spot, but failed to detonate the explosive device. A few seconds later, the tank set off the large bomb which led to a series of explosions inside the tank, apparently killing the vehicle's four-man crew immediately.

Alexei Belitzky immigrated to Israel with his family from Russia about six years ago and settled in Rishon Lezion where he attended high school. He served in the tank commanded by his friend, St.-Sgt. Doron Cohen, who also lived in Rishon. They had come to Gaza only two days before, after serving in Bethlehem. Doron had made sure to include Alexei on his tank's crew; they were killed together.

Alexei had begun his army service two and a half years ago and was to complete his service at the end of July. He had hoped to study nursing at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and had planned to submit his application on Sunday. His mother described him as a gentle person. "He had many dreams. He felt very Israeli. He would translate every army term for me into Russian - it was very important to him to include us in his world."

Sgt. Tal Alexei Belitzky was buried in the military cemetery in Rishon Lezion. He is survived by his parents, Alexander and Ludmilla, and a younger brother Boris, 19, also a soldier.