Sergeant Yaron Uri Shai, a Nahal commando, was at the Kerem Shalom regional fort together with others of his unit when they detected terrorists. He managed to warn his family, who had been intending to come visit the fort, and he also warned an uncle of his in the emergency squad of Kibbutz Or HaNer, near Sderot, that terrorists had invaded and the residents should stand fast in their safe rooms. The kibbutz was attacked by dozens of well-armed terrorists, and only three fighters were left in a jeep near the kibbutz fence to resist selflessly in the knowledge that they were the last line of defense before the homes inside the kibbutz. Yaron and the two others fighting alongside him in the jeep were seriously wounded in the fierce fighting. In retrospect, it was found that the Hamas force had reported over their radio that it was failing to invade the kibbutz because of the jeep at the entrance. After roughly an hour of fighting alone against tremendous firepower, the defenders were reached and rescued by a Nahal force from inside the kibbutz and they made their way to the fort, but they had to continue fighting in order to empty the fort of terrorists. Thanks to the heroism of the soldiers in the jeep, the emergency team, and the Nahal force inside the kibbutz, the terrorist attack was repelled with no slaughter of the kind that beset other communities. However, Sgt. Yaron Uri Shai was killed in the merciless fighting. May he rest in peace.
