Magnaji, Gavriel

Son of Alfonso and Bashia, was born on Novemver 9, 1927 in Tripoli, Libya. Gavriel was educated on the Zionist idea, was a legal adviser by profession and was one of the first Zionist activists in his city. When the children were ordered to study on the Sabbath and deny their Jewishness, he left his school and decided to work and help his extended family. Gavriel was a member of the Scouts movement and worked in the Aliyah Bet organization. He received his first military training in the Haganah brigade that had been created in his city because of the Arab mob’s attacks on the local Jews. In 1945-1946 Gavriel excelled in defensive and rescue operations. At the outbreak of the War of Independence, Gavriel decided to immigrate to Israel. He organized a group of about eighty friends and from the fear of the authorities they went swimming until they reached the boat of sailors waiting for them. As soon as he arrived, in Israel, Gavriel joined the ranks of the Palmach and was not afraid of any difficult and daring task. He fought valiantly and fell in the battle of Dweima on the 21st of Nissan, April 20, 1949. Together with his comrades, he was laid to rest in a military cemetery in the cemetery in Rehovot.