Sgt Sarit Schneor-Senior

Oct 24, 2003 - Sgt. Sarit Schneor-Senior, 19, of Shoham was one of three soldiers killed when a Palestinian terrorist infiltrated the army base in the Gaza Strip settlement of Netzarim and opened fire on the soldiers' barracks. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility for the attack.

At 4:20 AM, a Palestinian armed with a Kalachnikov rifle and a number of grenades infiltrated the security fence surrounding the Netzarim community and infiltrated an IDF base. The gunmen entered the female soldiers' barracks and opened fire, killing two - Sgt. Adi Osman and Sgt. Sarit Schneor-Senior - and seriously wounding another. St.-Sgt. Alon Avrahami, a medic, heard the initial gunfire and raced out of his quarters. He was shot and killed by the terrorist, who wounded another soldier before being intercepted and killed by IDF forces.

Sarit was born and raised in Ramle and ten years ago moved with her family to Shoham. Sarit volunteered to help in many institutions and was extremely involved in social activities prior to joining the army. A month ago she asked to be transferred from Kibbutz Nahal Oz to the headquarters in Netzarim, her uncle said. OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Dan Harel met Sarit personally earlier in the week when he visited the headquarters of the lookout post which she commanded. "Sarit was an outstanding soldier, a fighter," he said, "She was involved in numerous incidents in the area and saved many lives," he said.

A few days before she was killed, a ceremony for her graduating high school class was held in Shoham. Sarit, who had the highest grades in the class, was the only student not to attend the ceremony. She had called to say that she could not leave her post. On the morning she was killed, she had left the post and gone to her room to prepare coffee for her fellow soldiers on duty when she was shot in the back.

Sgt. Sarit Schneor-Senior was buried in the military section of the Ramle cemetery. She is survived by her parents and two younger sisters, aged 16 and 5.