Matza restaurant massacre
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| Matza restaurant massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | Haifa, Israel |
| Target(s) | Restaurant |
| Date | March 31, 2002 |
| Attack Type | suicide bomber |
| Fatalities | 15 |
| Injuries | 40+ |
| Perpetrator(s) | Hamas |
The Matza restaurant massacre occurred on March 31, 2002, when a Palestinian Hamas suicide bomber detonated his bomb inside the Matza restaurant in Haifa, Israel, killing 15 people and injuring over 40.
The attack occurred at 14:45 during the Passover vacation in Israel, and the restaurant was crowded with families having their lunch. Despite the Passover massacre which occurred just four days earlier in Netanya, and the tense atmosphere following it, the clients and restaurant owners were not particularly worried about security: The Matza restaurant is operated by an Israeli Arab family, and its multi-ethnic nature was thought to make it an unlikely choice for a terrorist attack.
[edit] Victims
Of the 15 victims, 14 were local Haifa residents, and one a waiter from a nearby town. Two families were completely wiped out, and other families suffered death and grave injuries to multiple family members.
- The Ron family lost father Aviel (54), daughter Anat (21) and son Ofer (17), leaving just the mother alive.
- The Koren family lost father Shimon (52), son Ran (18), and son Gal (15).
- Soheil Adawi (32), waiter
- Dov Chernobroda (47), architect
- Moshe Levin (52)
- Daniel Menchel (22)
- Orly Ofir (16), a soccer player on the Maccabi Haifa girls team.
- Yaacov Shani (53)
- Adi Shiran (17), high school student
- Daniel Carlos Wegman (51), engineer
