Mourners shelter from further missile fire at funeral

9 victims of Iranian missile strike on Beit Shemesh named, including 3 teen siblings

Fatalities are teens Yaakov, Avigail, and Sara Biton; Ronit Elimelech and her mother, Sara; mother and son Bruria and Yosef Cohen; Gavriel Baruch Ravach and Oren Katz

The nine people killed when a ballistic missile fired from Iran slammed into a residential neighborhood in Beit Shemesh were named by authorities on Sunday and Monday.

Nine people were killed and more than 40 were injured when the missile destroyed a synagogue and caused extensive damage to a public bomb shelter beneath it, as well as surrounding homes.

The victims were three teenage siblings, a mother and her adult daughter, and a mother and her adult son, a 16-year-old boy, and a man.

It was the deadliest missile strike in Israel during the current conflict with Iran — Philippine national Mary Anne Velasquez de Vera, 32, was killed in a missile strike in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

The IDF said that the failure to intercept the missile that hit Beit Shemesh was under investigation by the Israeli Air Force.

Air defense systems were activated in the area, but the interceptors failed to shoot down the missile for as-yet unclear reasons, resulting in the direct hit by the estimated 500-kilogram warhead.

Even as they were buried, mourners at some of the funerals were forced to take cover as Iran fired further missiles at Israel.

Mother and daughter Ronit and Sara Elimelech

Ronit Elimelech, 45, volunteered with the United Hatzalah emergency service, and paramedics called to the scene found her medical kit and vest amid the rubble.

She was killed alongside her mother, Sara.

Elimelech and her three children had been at her parents’ home in Beit Shemesh and entered the public shelter underneath the synagogue once they heard sirens go off, United Hatzalah said in a statement.

First responders rescued two of Elimelech’s children from the rubble and took them to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center after they sustained light to moderate injuries in the strike.

The third child was apparently unharmed and Sara’s husband was also found safe.

“Ronit joined United Hatzalah after her young son asked her to volunteer as his birthday gift. I met them personally, and they hold a very special place in our hearts,” Eli Beer, United Hatzalah’s president, wrote on X, before Elimelech’s death was announced.

He posted a story on social media, explaining how Ronit came to volunteer as a result of the request of her son Itamar, who is autistic, on his 11th birthday.

“Itamar was so proud of his mother,” Beer wrote.

Siblings Yaakov, Avigail and Sara Biton

Siblings Yaakov Biton, 16, Avigail Biton, 15, and Sara Biton, 13, were named as three victims of the Iranian attack.

Oren Katz

Oren Katz was the third victim of the missile attack to be identified by the Beit Shemesh municipality.

He is survived by his wife, children, and a brother, a local news site reports.

He was laid to rest on Monday and eulogized by his son.

“You were always a special person who cared for everyone, not only yourself,” said Yosef Katz.

“Yesterday you came home in the middle of the workday so we’d have something to eat for lunch. I’m glad I had the privilege to eat your food for the last time,” he said. “You told us we were your reason for living.”

Gavriel Baruch Ravach

16-year-old Gavriel Baruch Ravach was the fourth victim of the missile strike to be identified by the Beit Shemesh municipality.

According to a local news outlet, Baruch’s father had previously donated funds to and been involved in the building of the synagogue destroyed in the same missile strike in which his son was killed.

Mother and son Bruria and Yosef Cohen

Bruria Cohen was killed alongside her adult son Yosef.

According to a local news website in Beit Shemesh, Yosef was known locally for his dedication to his mother.