Tzvika Friedman’s widow mourns: “He stepped out first and took the bullets” 

"Just as he left with a sense of mission, so he ended his life" - this is how Gal Friedman, the widow of Reserve Sgt. Avraham Tzvi (Tzvika) Friedman, described her husband, who was murdered yesterday in a terror attack in Taysir in northern Samaria. Master Sergeant (res.) Ofer Yung, 39, from Tel Aviv was also killed in that terrorist attack. 

In an interview on Kan Reshet Bet, Gal spoke about her husband's last moments.

"We heard about the terrorist who came, apparently coming up from some wadi. As the force prepared to embark on its routine checkpoint activity, it surprised them outside the post. Zvika came out first, as suits him, and took the first blow of fire," Gal recounted the details of the incident as told by IDF representatives.

"I can't say that we've wrapped our heads around what happened but we keep going," Gal said. "A complete and good man, an amazing father and husband. He volunteered a lot, where he felt he needed to be and that he was needed, so that's where he is. He had all the reasons to be exempt from reserve duty, but I accepted it with the understanding that it was what he wanted and should be."

Daniel, Zvika's son, said: "It's a bit of an unrealistic situation, but we have to get back to the ground and understand that reality is what it is." He added that he knew that service was important to his father: "I saw less danger in it, maybe it's ignorance on my part to think that there is no risk in military service or in daily life in this country, but I would be the last one to stop him from serving in the army for the country."

Gal said that her husband shared with her about the tension in the area: "Zvika told her about the checkpoint, especially about the situation. It's a sector that we don't hear much about. It's close to our home and we know heating up there."

Bihadrei Haredim contributed to this article.