St.-Sgt. Avihu Keinan

Sept 25, 2003 - St.-Sgt. Avihu Keinan, 22, of Shilo was killed in an IDF operation to arrest wanted Islamic Jihad and Hamas terrorists in the El Boureij refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip.

Givati troops sweeping the Boureij refugee camp before dawn closed in on the house of a key Islamic Jihad terrorist. As they entered to search the house a gunman jumped out and ambushed the squad, firing at the soldiers until he was shot dead. St.-Sgt. Avihu Keinan was killed and six soldiers wounded, one seriously. The bodies of two terrorists were later found in the house, which belonged to Islamic Jihad leader Faris Shahin.

Avihu grew up in Tel-Aviv and moved with his family to Shilo in the West Bank about 10 years ago. He enlisted in the IDF three years ago and volunteered to serve in the Givati elite unit. His commander related that Avihu had excelled in the anti-terror combat course, and all the other soldiers in the unit learned from him. Rather than leaving the army at the end of his compulsory service, he signed up to continue as an instructor.

Rabbi Elhanan Bin-Nun of Shilo said, "Avihu was a proud Israeli and a proud soldier. He always radiated happiness. He was strong and brave." Avihu recently helped train the local security unit in Shilo in self-defense.

St.-Sgt. Avihu Keinan was buried in Shilo. He is survived by his parents, Moshe and Hannah, and four sisters.