An obituary for Gavriel Hoter, killed in Otniel, December 27, 2002

Gavriel Hoter

Dec 27, 2002 - Gavriel Hoter, 17, of Alonei Habashan was one of four yeshiva students killed in Otniel while working in the yeshiva kitchen, serving the Shabbat meal to some 100 students in the adjacent dining room.

Around 7:30 P.M. Friday, two terrorists from the nearby village of Dura in the Hebron area infiltrated Otniel, cutting the fence. They wore army uniforms, carried M-16 rifles, ammunition and hand grenads. The yeshiva, located a short distance from the fence, is a large, well-lit building, and the terrorists chose it as their target. About 100 yeshiva students were gathered in the ground-floor dining hall, waiting for the Friday night Shabbat meal. The two terrorists began to spray the building with bullets from the outside and one entered the kitchen via a service entrance. The four unarmed yeshiva students who were working in the kitchen were killed.

St.-Sgt. Noam Apter, who was on kitchen duty, managed to lock the door to the adjoining dining room before he was shot dead, saving the lives of the students seated at the tables, who opened fire from the dining room. The two terrorists from the Islamic Jihad, which claimed responsibility for the attack, were later killed by IDF forces.

Gavriel Hoter grew up in Kfar Adumim and completed his high school studies at the yeshiva in Ma'ale Adumim, although his family moved to Alonei Habashan on the Golan Heights three years ago. A gifted student, he completed his high school matriculation exams a year ago, and had almost completed a B.A. through studies at the Open University. His mother, Eileen, related that he hardly slept at night because of his contant study. Last summer he began his studies at the yeshiva at Otniel, in preparation for his upcoming army service. He volunteered to remain on duty at the yeshiva for Shabbat and to take a friend's place in the kitchen, and was killed in the attack.

Gavriel Hoter was buried in Kfar Adumim. He is survived by his parents, Haim and Eileen, and five brothers and sisters.