Orly Ofir

Mar 31, 2002 - Orly Ofir, 16, of Haifa was one of 15 people killed in a suicide bombing in Haifa, in the Matza restaurant of the gas station near the Grand Canyon shopping mall.

Just after 2:30 PM on Sunday afternoon, during the Passover holiday, the terrorist entered the popular Matza restaurant in the Neve Sha'anan district near the Grand Canyon mall. The explosion tore the roof off the one-story building, and blew out the windows, instantly killing 14 people, and leaving horrific scenes of people on fire, and people with lost limbs. Over 40 people were injured.

Orly Ofir was having lunch with her mother and two sisters at the Matza restaurant when the blast occurred. Her sister Roni was lightly injured. Although Orly spoke to them in the ambulance, she died of her wounds shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Orly was a high school student, and played on the Maccabi Haifa girls' soccer team. Yesterday the head of the team, Shuki Frankel, described Orly as an outstanding player. Her friends described her as a very special girl, with a lively, cheerful personality.

Orly Ofir was buried in Haifa. She is survived by her parents, Yossi and Shuli, and her sisters Roni and Ilanit.