ELON MOREH - Shechem

We have always known that we in Elon Moreh are at the head of the struggle for Eretz Yisrael. David and Rochel and their son Avraham were amongst the founders of the community Elon Moreh. They were accompanied regularly by the grandfather, who has been a partner in the growth of the community – during glad times and during sorrow. They are a link in the chain of generations for the struggle of Eretz Yisrael.

With the unbearable hurt of the loss of three generations of one family, we will continue to build that chain, with blood, with work, and with continued development.

We shall be comforted with the mourners of Zion and Yerushalayem.
Elon Moreh

Eye witness account by Pinchas Fuchs:
It was Pesach and Elon Moreh was full of guests. Married children, grandparents and friends joined the families of Elon Moreh for the first day of Pesach. The Gavish family, David and Rachel, was no different. Their son Avraham with his wife Na'ama and baby daughter Daria were there. Rachel's father Yitzchak Kaner was there as he spent all of the chagim and many Shabbatot with the family. Rachel's uncle, Yitzchak's brother was also with them. In addition David and Rachel's five younger children, Avigdor, Yeshurun, Sofia, Leah and Asaf were home. The Seder was joyous and the next day in Shul, Avraham was the Chazan for Shacharit, and David was the Chazan for Musaf. Since the special prayer for Tal is said David wore his white Kital during the davening. That evening at the Ma'ariv service David was again the Ba'al Tfila and counted the first Omer. Ninety minutes later Rachel, Avraham and Mr. Kaner were dead and David, in critical condition, was being evacuated by helicopter to Tel HaShomer Hospital, arriving too late to be saved.

We heard the first shots at 845 in the evening. Being close to Shechem we very often hear shooting in the area. But this time we knew it was next door. We immediately grabbed for our weapons. Everyone in Elon Moreh is trained for such a situation. Everyone has a part. While some neighbors took up defensive positions others ran directly to the Gavish home. They heard the shooting in the house and with total disregard for their own safety ran into the house identified the shooting terrorist and returned fire. They wounded the terrorist and forced him into a side room. Na'ama was then able to escape with Daria through a side door in the kitchen. Other neighbors brought a ladder and started to evacuate the children and uncle that were hiding under beds on the second floor. The rapid response team of Elon Moreh residents arrived and isolated the house and made sure that there were no other terrorists in the Yishuv. The Elon Moreh Medics arrived and under fire entered the house to try to help the wounded. All of this happened within minutes. It was then that the army arrived and took control. A special Anti-terrorist unit blew in the door to the room where the terrorist was and killed him.

Rachel and her father Yitzchak were killed instantly by the terrorist. Avraham mortally wounded crawled to the steps and shouted to his younger brother to bring him his rifle from the second floor. Before he had a chance to return fire the terrorist shot him again and killed him. David was critically wounded and because all of the roads were closed, he had to be flown by helicopter to Tel HaShomer Hospital. He arrived too late and died on the operating table.

The bravery and instant action by the people of Elon Moreh prevented the terrorist from going up to the second floor and killing all of the children and the uncle. They also prevented the terrorist from going on to other houses in the community.

Thursday night, 8:45 in the evening, after the first day of the Pesach holiday, a terrorist entered the community of Elon Moreh and opened fire in the home of the Gavish family. Almost instantly Rochel Gavish and her father Yitzhak Caner were killed. Their son Avraham was mortally wounded, but was able to shout a warning to the rest of the family before he died. David, the father was seriously injured and transported by helicopter to Tel HaShomer Hospital, there he died on the operating table.

The regional army commander cited the heroism of the residents of Elon Moreh who, within seconds of the shooting, arrived outside the Gavish home, isolated the house, and through a volley of fire, seriously injured the terrorist and forced him into a side room of the house. At the same time, under fire, other residents brought a ladder and rescued other family members via the porch on the second floor, thereby preventing an even worse tragedy.

Army forces arrived within minutes, surrounded the house, and, after making sure that there were no hostages, broke in, killing the terrorist.

As soon as the announcements were made, Bentzy Lieberman, head of the Shomron Regional Council, came to Elon Moreh and, together with Rabbi Levanon, Rabbi of Elon Moreh, set up a control center in the rabbi's home.

It is very difficult and too early to digest the tragedy, but one thing is certain: The setback we have suffered will not lessen our steadfastness to the mission we have taken upon ourselves in Elon Moreh. We will continue to lead the nation in building up the Land of Israel. We will continue the work that the Gavish family has themselves given their lives for.

MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE BLESSED

The Gavish family was among the founders of Elon Moreh. MK Sha'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) attended the multiple funeral today and said, "There are thousands of people here, all crying... yet there is a strength here that is indescribable; everyone is saying that these murders and those of the other 400 merely strengthen us in our path." One of the four victims, Maj. Avraham Gavish, an officer in the General Staff, was buried with military honors. Yahalom said that Avraham's father David, the fourth victim of last night's attack, was also once in the General Staff elite unit. Kedumim Mayor Daniella Weiss, Avraham's mother-in-law, told Arutz-7 this morning that the blood of the victims in Netanya, Elon Moreh, and Netzarim are "on the head of the Prime Minister."

Additional family members hid in the top floor of the two-story home as the terrorist continued to shoot from inside the house. The dead were identified as Rachel Gavish, her husband, David, their recently married son, Avraham, and Rachel's father, Yitzhak Amar.

Security forces ordered residents to remain inside their homes and turn off the lights, fearing additional terrorists might be inside the community. Security forces surrounded the home and disconnected its power. The Border Police anti-terror unit broke into the house, moving cautiously in case the terrorist had placed bombs in the building.

Anti-terror unit sappers blew open the door of the second-floor room where the terrorist had barricaded himself and charged inside, finding him dead. It was not clear whether he had been killed by the blast or by security forces' gunfire.

For over two hours, exchanges of gunfire had continued between the terrorist and security forces, preventing Magen David Adom teams from reaching the wounded.

Paramedic Hezi Tsuri, a resident of the community, said despite the shooting, he with others managed to enter the back door of the house and remove the wounded family members.

The terrorist continued to shoot from one of the rooms while neighbors and security forces returned fire. Others placed a ladder to allow family on the top story members to escape. The terrorist remained closed up in one of the top-story rooms.

Ahuva Shilo, spokeswoman of the Samaria Regional Council, said the Gavish family are founders of the community. The son, Avraham, recently married Daniella Weiss's daughter, she said. Benny Katsover said he had seen the family at evening prayers.

"They are a well loved, large family, with a number of children aged 14 and up; some of them are married. All the family attended evening prayers," he said.

Benzi Lieberman, head of the Samaria Regional Council, said it was the third time in recent months that terrorists infiltrated the community. The community has no electronic fencing, he said, and does not believe that defensive measures are the proper response to terrorism, but rather strong action against Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority. He noted that recently area residents had received a number of warnings of terrorists attacks, but none related to Elon Moreh.