Apr 16, 2008 - Sgt. Matan Ovdati, 19, of Moshav Patish in the western Negev was one of three IDF soldiers killed in a confrontation with armed Palestinian gunmen approached the security fence south of the Nahal Oz fuel terminal.
At around 6 am soldiers manning an IDF observation post near the security fence between Israel and Gaza identified a terror cell of six Palestinian gunmen approaching the fence near Kibbutz Be'eri in an apparent attempt to infiltrate Israel. A force from Givati's Tzabar Battalion confronted the terrorists. In the exchange of fire, three soldiers were killed. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
Sgt. Matan Ovdati had planned to spend Wednesday evening in Beersheba with his mother, shopping for a present for his younger brother's birthday party the next day. He called the night before to remind her. "He wanted to get his brother Ben a Play Station," his mother, Hadassah, said. Instead, Matan, whose home in Moshav Patish was only a few kilometers from the Gaza border, was one of three Givati Brigade soldiers killed.
Matan's father Rahamim died a year and a half ago, and he delayed his enlistment until after the year of mourning. He insisted on serving as a combat soldier, but asked to come home every Shabbat in order to say kiddush, the blessing over the wine, for his mother, who described her son as "a brave soldier and a wonderful boy who helped everyone." Before his army service, he helped with the work on the moshav, especially in the cow shed.
Matan's sister Hen said her brother was the kind of person who always wanted to help people. After his father's death, he tried to fill in for him. "He was quiet and funny," said Hen. He liked computers and the Maccabi Haifa soccer team. He was still too young to have future plans.
Sgt. Matan Ovdati was buried in the military section of the cemetery in Ofakim. He is survived by his mother Hadassah, his sister Hen, 21, and younger brother Ben, 14.