Israeli Terror Victim ‘Saved a Lot of Lives’ by Fighting Off Terrorist

“The fact that Yotam continued to struggle bought everyone more time,” a police officer said. “He saved a lot of lives by fighting.”

By: United with Israel Staff

Yotam Ovadia, who was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist last Thursday, saved lives when he fought off the terrorist, an investigation of the attack shows.

Security footage of the attack shows Ovadia, 31, struggling with the terrorist, and at one point leaping on him in an attempt to subdue him.

After critically wounding Ovadia, the terrorist, 17-year-old Mohammad Tareq Yousef, stabbed another victim before Adam resident Assaf Raviv, who heard noise outside, shot Yousef three times and killed him.

Raviv suffered minor injuries during the encounter but was released from the hospital after a short stay.

Ovadia was out shopping for items for a romantic meal he was preparing for his wife for Tu B’Av when he was murdered near his home.

Tomer, who did not provide his last name, is a police officer and Yotam’s cousin who arrived on site after the attack. He said that Ovadia’s actions saved the lives of other potential victims.

“My cousin is a hero,” Tomer told Israel’s Walla news. “If Yotam was not there and it was someone who would have less struggled with the terrorist, I assess that he [the terrorist] could have moved on to a nearby house or another family.”

“The fact that Yotam continued to struggle bought everyone more time,” Tomer said. “He saved a lot of lives by fighting.”

“It could have ended with another dead family, but it ended only with Yotam,” he added.

Hundreds of family members, friends and acquaintances attended Ovadia’s funeral in Jerusalem on Friday. He left behind two young boys, Harel and Itai, and his wife Tal.

“I don’t know what will happen to me and the children now,” said Tal to Israel’s Ynet news. “I don’t know how to continue to be strong for the children. We were everything to him. The house was his kingdom.”

“Yotam was a decent, modest and humble man of work,” she said.” He loved me and the children in a way I never saw. All he did was just for us. He always made sure he was good. Always puts himself last.”

The Palestinian leadership has so far failed to condemn the attack.

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