Sgt. Ya'acov Avni

Mar 1, 2002 - IDF soldier Sgt. Ya'acov Avni, 20, of Kiryat Ata was killed by Palestinian sniper fire in the Jenin refugee camp.

IDF forces entered the camp early Thursday morning to search for wanted terrorists. Sgt. Ya'acov Avni was shot dead by a sniper in the Jenin refugee camp on Friday. Avni, himself a sniper, was shot in the neck as he was taking up a position near a window.

Ya'acov Avni, the eldest child in his family, grew up in Kiryat Ata where he attended elementary and yeshiva high school. Four months ago, he fulfilled his dream and was accepted into the Golani Brigade's Orev reconnaissance unit, where he completed a sniper course just a month ago.

His brother Dani, 19, who lives in London, returned home yesterday to his family in Kiryat Ata. "There was no one else like him in the world," his brother recalled. "If there was only one car available for the two of us, he would say: 'Dani, take it and I'll walk or stay home. If you need money, take it.' We wanted to go into business together after the army." Ya'acov planned to marry his girlfriend, Miri, after his army service.

Sgt. Ya'acov Avni will be buried in Kiryat Ata. He is survived by his parents, a brother, and three sisters.