Apr 9, 2008 - Lev Cherniak, 53, of Beersheba, was one of two employees at the Nahal Oz fuel terminal killed when Palestinian terrorists penetrated the terminal and opened fire.
The Nahal Oz terminal is used to transfer fuel from Israel to the Gaza Strip - about 4 million liters weekly. Shortly after 15:00, Palestinian fuel coordinators alerted Israelis operating the Nahal Oz fueling terminal that Palestinian terrorists had breached the border fence near the Karni Crossing and infiltrated Israel, after firing a series of mortar shells to divert Israel's attention.
While the drivers of the fuel trucks at the terminal managed to flee unharmed, two Israeli employees, Lev Cherniak and Oleg Lipson, were killed while tryting to escape. They were shot at very close range when one of them was in a truck and the other standing just outside the vehicle. The four terrorists shot the two victims again, to confirm the kill, and riddled their dead bodies with bullets.
Lev Cherniak, originally from St. Petersburg, immigrated to Israel in 1991. A neighbor related that he always seemed happy and had a good sense of humor. Lev was good friends with Oleg Lipson, who was also killed in the attack. They had worked side by side for ten years, and enjoyed spending time together after work as well, engaged in their shared hobby of electronics and computer gadgets.
Lev Cherniak was buried at the new cemetery in Beersheba. He is survived by his wife, Irena, their 12-year-old daughter Leah, and an older daughter from a previous marriage, who lives with her mother in Germany.