Melbourne uni student among MH17 dead

He was a young Dutchman who'd survived a stint as an Israeli paratrooper during the bloody 2008 conflict in Gaza.

But Itamar Avnon's short life ended after he boarded a routine commercial flight home to Melbourne from a uni break holiday in Europe.

The 27-year-old business student at Swinburne University of Technology was killed in the MH17 plane disaster, it's been confirmed, prompting an outpouring of grief on both sides of the globe.

"Our thoughts are with his family and friends," the university said in a statement on Sunday.

"Swinburne shares the sadness and shock felt by communities around the world over the fate of MH17."

Tributes flowed on social media, with Mr Avnon's former girlfriend Shai Penn Eisenman describing him as "the happiest person in the world".

Mr Avnon's father Dov broke the news to loved ones on Facebook, writing in Hebrew that his son had survived his military service during Operation Cast Lead, the deadly 22-day offensive that ended in January 2009, but lost his life while flying to Australia after visiting family in the Netherlands.

Mr Avnon had also attended a wedding in Israel during his trip.

He was in the second year of a Bachelor of Business (International Business).

Swinburne says it will this week reach out to Mr Avnon's family and friends, and to the ambassadors of Israel and the Netherlands.

It's believed Mr Avnon held dual citizenship.