Noa Dahan
Nov 8, 2000 - Noa Dahan, 25, was shot to death while driving to her job at the Rafiah border crossing in Gaza.
Noa Dahan, of Moshav Mivtahim in the Negev, was shot at close range by three Palestinians who had crossed the fence separating the Palestinian Authority's Dahaniyeh Airport from the access road to Rafiah. The attackers, who had been waiting in ambush, escaped.
The attack occurred at 8:15 A.M., when Dahan, deputy manager of the customs clearing house at the Rafiah cargo terminal, was on her way to work together with her nephew Oz Prishta, who was starting his first day of work at the terminal. The attack occurred about 100 meters before the border crossing.
"I saw three Arabs pointing guns at us and firing at us," recounted Prishta. "Noa was hit in the head by a bullet and lost consciousness. I tried to grab the steering wheel, but failed, and the car hit a fence and overturned. I crawled outside and stopped a car, which took me to the border crossing, where I called soldiers to help. Everything happened within a few seconds. Only afterwards I learned that my aunt had died."
The rescue crew that arrived at the scene was unable to revive Dahan, who is survived by her parents, Suzanne and Machlouf, four older sisters and an older brother.
Dahan had worked at the terminal for two years, following a two-year stint at a terminal on the Allenby Bridge, on the Jordanian border. She was a diligent worker and a true bridge for peace with the Palestinians. Menashe Gilad, manager of the Rafiah terminal, also said Dahan had done her best to help Palestinian merchants get their shipments through the terminal quickly and easily.
Dahan was buried in the Tsohar cemetery. Her nephew, Oz Prishta, 17, was lightly wounded by a bullet that grazed his shoulder. He was treated at Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva and released.