A second Israeli soldier died from last week’s land-mine attack on the Gaza Strip border.
Sgt. Liran Banai, who had lost both legs when the jeep he was driving near the Kissufim border crossing was blown up Thursday, died of his wounds Sunday.
His partner, a Bedouin Arab military tracker whose name was not released for publication, was killed. Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.
Banai, 20, is survived by two sisters and his parents, both of whom are deaf and mute.
Relatives said Banai, who could have secured an exemption from combat service because of his parents’ circumstances, devoted all of his free time to helping them – an especially acute need recently since the family lives in Ashkelon, which has come under Hamas rocket fire from Gaza.
