Yazan Falah and Shirel Aboukrat, the two 19-year-old Border Police officers killed in Sunday’s terrorist attack, were buried on Monday afternoon. Politicians and top police commanders attended their funerals.
Falah was buried in his hometown of Kasra Samia. Thousands of people attended the ceremony.
“Since we heard the news, our lives have darkened and the ground has shook,” Falah’s Uncle Amel said. “I wish the ground had swallowed me before your mother had to receive the tidings. I wish I was dead in your place. You left a wound in our hearts that will bleed forever.”
“You grew up to be a smiling, friendly comrade, always ready to help anyone in need,” Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar said. “All of Israel and its citizens were hit by agony and grief, and there are no words that can comfort the suffering family, who are saying goodbye with a pained, broken heart.”
Aboukrat, who immigrated to Israel from France in 2006, was laid to rest in Netanya Military Cemetery.
Her mother, Devorah, cried out: “Shirel, how did I not keep you out of harm? I want you, my daughter. Wake up!”
“How were you taken with such savagery?” Aboukrat’s cousin said. “You dreamed of being an officer in the Border Police and a police detective; you were lucky to achieve at least one.”
The two were killed and 12 others were injured when two terrorists, armed with 1,100 bullets, at least three sidearms, knives and wearing flack jackets opened fire on them on main street in Hadera on Sunday evening.
The terrorists in the Hadera attack were identified as Israeli-Arabs from the city of Umm el-Fahm. They posted a video on Facebook before the attack showing them swearing allegiance to ISIS, with the terrorist movement publishing a statement on Sunday night taking responsibility for the attack.
The attack in Hadera comes less than a week after a deadly terrorist attack in Beersheba, in which four Israelis were killed by Bedouin-Israeli gunman Mohammed Abu al-Kiyan who was shot dead by civilians at the scene.
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.