Aug 31, 2004 - Emmanuel Yosef (Yosefov), 28, of Beersheba was one of 16 people killed in twin suicide bus bombings in Beersheba city buses. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
The two explosions took place within minutes of each other on two Beersheba city buses, on route nos. 6 and 12, shortly before 3:00 P.M. The buses were traveling along Beersheba's main street, Rager Blvd, near the city hall. About 100 people were wounded.
Emmanuel Yosef, the oldest of five children, was engaged to be married and had recently completed his master's degree in biotechnology at Tel Hai College. He was about to begin work in his profession at Beersheba's Soroka Hospital.
"We waited so long for the wedding of our oldest son, who has been like a substitute for his father who died 14 years ago," said his mother, Galina. "Now we must bury him."
"He loved everyone and hated no one, even the Arabs who murdered him," said his sister, Miri, 19. "Anything I could tell about him is nothing compared to the kind of soul he had. He was like a father to me all these years."
"Why do they kill us?" asked his mother. "Why does Arafat send his people to murder our children?"
Emmanuel Yosef was buried in Beersheba. He is survived by his mother and four siblings.