Maj. Gil Oz, 30, and St.-Sgt. Kobi Nir, 21, both of Kfar Saba, will be buried this afternoon in the Kiryat Sha\'ul and Kfar Saba military cemeteries, respectively. The third soldier killed in early morning battle on Shabbat in Gush Katif is Corp. Tzachi Grabli, 19, of Holon, who will be buried this evening in Holon. The three were killed when two terrorists infiltrated the Marganit outpost, opening fire and throwing grenades in all directions, including towards the tents where numerous soldiers lay sleeping. Marganit is situated between Bdolach and Atzmonah in southern Gush Katif, near Khan Yunis. The infiltrators were apparently not detected until they were within 20 meters of the outposts. Seven soldiers were wounded; five are still hospitalized, including one in serious condition. When reinforcements, who arrived within four minutes headed by Maj. Oz, began firing back, they killed one of the terrorists during the battle, and one shortly aftewards while pursuing him in the fields of Bdolach. A third Arab is assumed to have escorted the two before the attack, but returned to PA territory before it began. A preliminary investigation indicated that the terrorists were able to surprise the soldiers by advancing towards the outpost along a hidden wadi (channel). Southern Command O.C. Maj.-Gen. Doron Almog said, \"I would be very cautious before calling this a mess-up. I would say that the results are not what we would have expected in such conditions.\" An investigation is underway. Oz was deputy commander of the Shaked battalion of the Givati brigade, and Nir, a medic, was killed while trying to rescue Oz. The latter\'s father said that he salutes Nir, and said he could come to terms with the death of his son if it had not also cost the life of another man. In retaliation, IDF tanks and ground forces destroyed several PA military positions in PA-controlled Rafiach in southern Gaza as well as further north. One soldier was lightly wounded during the offensive. In addition, F-15 and F-16 fighter planes attacked PA terrorist targets early this morning. These included the main police headquarters in Gaza, an intelligence service and police facility in the Dir el-Balah area of Gaza, and police headquarters in Salfit, south of Shechem. Pilots reported accurate hits, and the planes returned safely to their bases. PA officials report several casualties. The mother of one of the slain terrorists in the Gaza attack, Amin Abu Hatab, expressed pride in her son’s actions.
