The fiancé of the man murdered in a terrorist attack in the Old City of Jerusalem Sunday spoke out hours after his death, eulogizing him as a strong but ‘gentle’ immigrant-soldier who served in the IDF despite a number of injuries.

Jen Schiff, the fiancé of Eliyahu Kay, spoke with reporters Sunday night, hours after Kay was shot dead in Sunday’s deadly terrorist shooting attack in the Old City of Jerusalem.

“It is very shocking and deeply tragic news today,” Schiff said. “I just felt it was important to share how much Eli loved this country, and how he came here by himself and fought for this country. He had a bunch of injuries in the army, and yet continued to go through all of the training and have his own soldiers.”

“He is the strongest person I’ve ever known, emotionally and physically. And he’s the smartest man I’ve ever met; caring and considerate and gentle and firm and very loving and accepting, no matter what their background, no matter what they say or do. He always treated people with love and respect.”

“I know that when this happened today he didn’t feel alone, and that he knew that being in this country and doing what he did and who he was, it was giving what he had to the people around him and to the people of Israel.”

Kay, 26, worked as a tour guide in the Old City of Jerusalem for the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.

A native of South Africa, he moved to Israel and served in the IDF, before the rest of his family immigrated to Israel less than a year ago.