Major Gil Oz

Aug 25, 2001 - Maj. Gil Oz, 29, of Kfar Sava was killed when two Palestinian terrorists infiltrated an IDF base in Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip. The attackers, members of the PLO Fatah faction and of the Palestinian security forces, were killed by IDF soldiers.

At about 3:00 AM Saturday morning, three Palestinians crept toward the Marganit IDF outpost built to protect the settlement of Atzmona, in the southern end of Gush Katif. The terrorists charged into the outpost, threw hand grenades and opened fire.

A task force, led by Maj. Gil Oz, the deputy battalion commander in the Givati Brigade, arrived at the outpost several minutes after it was infiltrated, and was killed while engaging in hand-to-hand combat. St.-Sgt. Kobi Nir and Sgt. Tzahi Grabli were also killed and seven soldiers were wounded in the attack. Nir, a medic, was killed while trying to give emergency medical aid to Oz, his commanding officer.

Gil Oz grew up in Tel-Aviv and volunteered to the Givati Brigade when he was 18. As an outstanding soldier, he was recommended to the officer course and the prestigious Ofek program. A career soldier with ten years' experience, he was appointed deputy battalion commander a year ago. His father, a retired career officer, related that Oz and his wife had recently divorced: "He was married to the army".

Gil Oz was buried in the Kiryat Shaul military cemetery. He is survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister.