Released: More details on the Civilian Contractor killed in Gaza
Brother-in-Law of Yaakov Avitan shares details of tragic friendly fire incident. Eli Assus, the brother-in-law of Yaakov (Kobi) Avitan, the contractor killed by friendly fire in Gaza, has spoken out about the tragic incident and the tense circumstances leading up to it.
![Eliana Fleming Eliana Fleming](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=128,quality=75,format=auto/https://images.jfeed.com/2024/12/11/bb44f3b0-b7d5-11ef-a276-eba2a135109a__h1024_w683.jpeg)
![Kobi Avitan, the civilian contractor killed in Gaza](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=30,format=auto/https://images.jfeed.com/2025/01/28/a7573710-ddb3-11ef-8104-edda4fefae5f__h1220_w1051.jpg)
Avitan, 39, a contractor working on behalf of the Defense Ministry, was accidentally shot by an Israeli soldier while carrying out his work in Gaza.
Assus, in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, provided additional context about the tragic shooting. "Two days before the incident, there had been an infiltration attempt at the IDF post, which heightened the alert level," Assus explained. "It was a case of mistaken identification—he was shot because the soldier simply saw him and misjudged the situation."
Assus described how Avitan had inadvertently found himself face-to-face with the soldier when entering the post. "I was told it happened in just a few seconds. The confusion surrounding the return of Gaza residents to northern Gaza added to the chaotic environment," he said. "They called his name, but he either didn’t hear them or the noise in the area interrupted communication."
According to Assus, Avitan had been working in Gaza for two weeks and had permission to access the post, even though it was outside his designated work area. On the day of the incident, Avitan was not wearing his identification uniform as he disembarked from the excavator he had been operating.
This tragic event has further devastated the Avitan family, who had already been through a difficult period. Assus shared that the family had experienced the loss of Avitan’s father and grandfather within the past six months, which had left them deeply grieving. "Everyone is shocked by the incident, especially given everything the family has been through," Assus said. "This is a very difficult loss for the family. Everyone loved Yaakov."
Avitan, originally from Eilat, leaves behind a wife and three children, including a ten-month-old baby. His death is a heartbreaking tragedy for his family and a reminder of the complexities and dangers faced by civilians working in conflict zones.