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Last update - 14:10 07/01/2009 British-Israeli soldier has close brush with death during Gaza operation By Raphael Ahren Tags: Hamas, Gaza, Israel  A 20-year-old British immigrant who fought in the Israel Defense Force's elite Golani unit escaped death by mere millimeters when a mortar round hit his unit earlier this week. On the first night of the Operation Cast Lead ground invasion, Yaakov Wolf, who grew up in London and moved to Kibbutz Gadot in the north in 2007, was hit by shrapnel in his neck that miraculously missed his jugular vein. He was immediately evacuated and the majority of the shrapnel was removed from his neck, while some shrapnel pieces remain because doctors have been unable to remove them. Advertisement "In the field they didn't know exactly what happened, but later in the hospital they saw that he was fine," said Idan Ianovici, coordinator of the Tzofim Garin Tzabar program for sons of Israelis and Diaspora Jews who move to Israel and serve in the military, the program Wolf had joined. "The shrapnel went in and out of his neck right there on the battlefield. Thank God it missed his jugular and he'll be fine." Wolf, who was born in Israel but moved with his parents to Britain when he was an infant, will remain for one week in Jerusalem's Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Karem, Ianovici said. Countless friends and comrades have already visited Wolf in the hospital's otolaryngology department. Last night, after his mother - who flew in from London after receiving the news - and his aunt had left the hospital to let Wolf rest, a handful of soldiers stopped by and peaked into the tiny cubicle where he was sleeping. "Yaakov is very Zionistic," Ianovici told Haaretz. "He came here with the firm determination to help the Jewish homeland. I think that like most soldiers, he was keen to stop Hamas from firing rockets at Israel." Related articles: Rice: U.S. backs Egypt proposal for Gaza cease-fire As truce efforts grow, Israel mulls expanding Gaza ground op ANALYSIS / Using aggressive tactics in Gaza to save soldiers' lives ANALYSIS / Israel must double, triple, quadruple its medical aid to Gaza Israel to establish 'humanitarian corridor' for Gaza Strip Venezuelan President Chavez: Gaza operation is a Palestinian 'holocaust' Al-Qaida No. 2 slams Obama for failing to stop IDF offensive in Gaza French TV claims photos from 2005 showed damage from Israel's Gaza operation Four of six IDF soldiers killed in Gaza were victims of friendly fire Bookmark to del.icio.us   From the bunker Hamas says Gaza won't break, victory over Israel is near. Banned Israel bans Arab parties from running in upcoming elections.   1.   Root of your problem 08:43  |  Citizen of the world 07/01/09   2.   Root of your problem 10:13  |  Rochelle 07/01/09   3.   1 - arab lands & christains, jews, and hundreds of others faiths 10:28  |  scott 07/01/09   4.   Profound idealism 10:31  |  Sherlock Holmes 07/01/09   5.   Palestinians rights? 10:50  |  Allan 07/01/09   6.   to no1 /how many arabs-Israëlis? 11:41  |  Tina 07/01/09   7.   Refuah Shelama 11:42  |  ERSB 07/01/09   8.   #1 Citizen of ??? 11:47  |  ERSB 07/01/09   9.   To Citizen of the world 11:56  |  Hebro 07/01/09   10.   To #1 12:01  |  Citizen of Israel 07/01/09   11.   Well said... citizen of the world! 12:21  |  ClearCut 07/01/09   12.   to no. 2 16:37  |  Albert 13/01/09

Read & React Bradley Burston / Gaza War Diary IV - Can people die of ambivalence? Responses: 37 Amos Harel with IDF in Gaza / 'Let's finish what we started' Responses: 59 Ari Shavit: World cannot, must not condemn our war on Hamas Responses: 75 U.S. arms shipment to Israel canceled due to Gaza conflict Responses: 10 Yoel Marcus: It's not Israel's fault it has a strong, well-run army Responses: 33 More Headlines 16:27 At least 10 Gaza rockets strike Negev, one near Ashkelon school 15:52 Barak: Gaza offensive to continue alongside diplomatic efforts 16:16 Palestinian shot while trying to grab Border Policeman's gun 15:46 IDF officer critically hurt as army pushes deeper into Gaza City 11:14 'Let's finish what we started' 13:14 WATCH: IDF says Hamas has professionalized use of human shields in Gaza 11:16 ANALYSIS / Neither Israel nor Hamas can be choosy in Gaza 14:41 A week after expelling Israeli officials over Gaza op, Venezuela looks to repair ties 16:31 Jordan denies gunmen shot at Border Police patrol on Israel border 15:41 Report: Hamas agrees to Turkey troops on Gaza-Egypt border 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 08:51 U.S. arms shipment to Israel canceled due to Gaza conflict 13:10 UN's Ban heads to Mideast to press Gaza truce resolution 12:49 Hamas' take on the Gaza war? Watch it on YouTube 11:17 ANALYSIS / World cannot, must not condemn our war on Hamas 14:49 It's not Israel's fault it has a strong, well-run army 08:07 Amira Hass / Gazans trapped in no man's land between fire, farmlands 02:53 Human Rights Watch: IDF phosphorous bombs in Gaza violate int'l law 15:20 For one doctor, volunteering for reserves means being close to IDF soldier sons Previous Editions Select Day 12 jan 11 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec

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