After the kidnapping of the three boys in Gush Etzion and the operation for their return the firing of rockets from Gaza intensified. Israel launched operation “Protective Edge” against the Hamas and the rockets in Gaza.
On August 26, 2014, about an hour before the cease fire was to take effect Hamas terrorists opened mortar fire on Kibbutz Nirim, Zeev Etzion, 55 years old and Shachar Melamed, 43 years old, who escorted a group that came to fix electricity damaged at previous attack, were killed from a mortar shell. Others were wounded.
Caprain Liad Lavie, 22 years old, was badly wounded in Hamas Terrorists attack on a house where the brigade HQ was. He was evacuated to Soroka hospital in Beer Sheva where he died from his wounds. Liad was killed near the town of Han Unes, very close to his house in Sde Nitzan.