Holocaust survivor killed in Iranian missile strike on Petah Tikva last week
Ivette Shmilovitz, 95, was killed by a shock wave caused by impact on apartment building in central Israeli city
A Holocaust survivor was killed by an Iranian missile last week in Petah Tikva.
Ivette Shmilovitz, 95, whose name was released for publication on Monday, was one of four people killed in the missile strike on the central Israeli city last Monday.
Shmilovitz is survived by three granddaughters and four great-grandchildren. Her funeral will take place on Tuesday at the Segula Cemetery.
The other victims of the attack were named as Yaakov and Hadassah Belo, both 77, and Daisy Yitzhaki, 85.
Shmilovitz was in a building next to the one that was directly hit and was killed by the shockwave.
Yaakov and Hadassah Belo were sheltering in their safe room when a missile with a large explosive warhead slammed into their 20-story apartment building, impacting a wall right between two safe rooms, which were unable to withstand the intensity of the blast.
Yitzhaki was on the floor above where the missile hit, but not in her safe room. Her caregiver was also injured in the impact, according to Ynet.
Israeli authorities say reinforced rooms located inside apartments are suitable protective spaces in case of attack, though they are largely designed to protect against shrapnel and shock waves, and, unlike underground bunkers used for public shelters, may not stand up to a direct impact of heavy explosives.
According to officials, reinforced rooms have saved countless lives in the missile barrages from Iran thus far.
So far, Iran’s missile attacks on Israel, which have included some 550 ballistic missiles and around 1,00 drones, have killed 24 people and wounded thousands in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals. Some of the missiles have hit apartment buildings, a university and a hospital, causing heavy damage.
The strikes have come in retaliation to Israel’s sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program. Israel says the campaign is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.
Iran, which avowedly seeks Israel’s destruction, has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, has obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities. Israel says Iran has recently taken steps toward weaponization.
The Times of Israel Community.