St-Sgt Mofid Sawaid

Jan 9, 2002 - St.-Sgt. Mofid Sawaid, 25, of Abu Snan was one of four IDF soldiers from the Bedouin desert patrol unit who were killed when armed Palestinian terrorists from the southern Gaza Strip infiltrated into Israel and attacked an IDF post near Kerem Shalom.

At 4:30 AM, two armed Palestinian terrorists from the southern Gaza Strip, carrying explosive belts, assault rifles, grenades, and dressed in Palestinian Authority police uniforms, infiltrated into Israel and attacked an IDF post near Kerem Shalom. St.-Sgt. Mofid Sawaid and Sgt.-Maj. Ibrahim Hamadieh were killed in the intial attack, and two others were killed in the exchange of fire. The terrorists, one a member of the Palestinian Authority's naval force, and the second a Hamas operative, were killed. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

Sawaid completed his regular army service and rejoined the army as a commissioned soldier after encountering difficulties finding work. He belonged to the same Bedouin tribe as St.-Sgt. Omar Sawaid, who along with two other soldiers was kidnapped by Hizbullah terrorists on October 7, 2000. Last November, the three were declared dead by the army.

Mofid Sawaid had recently asked to receive a plot of land on which to build a house for his wife and twin two-year-olds.

St.-Sgt. Mofid Sawaid was buried in the village cemetery in Abu Snan. He is survived by his parents, three brothers, three sisters, his wife Amal and two-year-old son and daughter.