Apr 9, 2008 - St.-Sgt. Sayef Bisan, 21, of the Druze village of Jat in the western Galilee was killed in an exchange of fire with Palestinian terrorists in an overnight IDF operation against terror infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip.
IDF soldiers from the Golani Brigade's elite Egoz reconnaissance unit were operating to uncover terror infrastructure near the Kissufim Crossing. The area has seen a large number of shooting incidents recently, including sniper fire directed at agricultural fields in Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha. As the soldiers searched the area, they came under gun and anti-tank missile fire from a well-planned ambush by Palestinian gunmen. One soldier, St.-Sgt. Sayef Bisan was killed, and two others were lightly wounded.
Sayef Bisan was a member of a large, well-known family in his village, and was well-liked and respected. His father served in the IDF, and his brother is a combat officer. Sayef was proud to serve in the elite unit. He was due to complete his compulsory service in November, and planned to travel abroad before returning to serve in the regular army.
Friends and relatives described Sayef as a young man who was planning a military career and who loved the State of Israel and the army almost as much as he loved his family.
His uncle, Karim Nadin, said that Sayef grew up in a Zionist home and was brought up to love his homeland. He added that the family was proud that their son gave his life for the country. "This is how we raise our children - to contribute to this country which we are part of. He strived to join an elite unit since he was a teenager, and prepared himself mentally and physically. In the unit, he excelled as a soldier, and many youths from the village looked up to him as a role model."
St.-Sgt. Sayef Bisan was buried in his home village. He is survived by his parents, Ramzi and Nahil, two brothers and two sisters.