The Iron Lions

A 9-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl hid for 14 hours in a closet. 

No food. No water. No father or mother. Almost no breathing. 

This isn’t a story from the Holocaust – this is a true story from Kfar Gaza last Saturday.

Michael (aged 9), Amalia (aged 6) and Abigail (aged 4) are the children of my good friends Roy (a YNET news photographer) and Smadar Idan. They were at home with their mother. Their father Roy, typical Roy, left their home to photograph and record the incoming terrorists flying on their paragliders from Gaza.

However when he returned home, the terrorists were already there, waiting. They entered the house, and shot Smadar dead. The children ran out to their father, Roy. He managed to scoop up little Abigail – and that was when the terrorists surprised him. They shot and seriously wounded him. Michael and Amelia ran across the yard to hide in a shelter, while Abigail ran to her neighbor’s house – Avichai. Avichai let her inside and saved her life.

Once Abigail was safe inside the house, Avihai immediately joined the emergency task force fighting outside. When he briefly returned home, he discovered that his family had been kidnapped. His wife, his three children and also little Abigail.

Meanwhile, Michael and Amelia, in their own home, called the police and the operator told them to hide in the closet.

On the other side of the country, Roy's brother Amit, had realized that something bad was happening at home. He called again and again – and then little Amalia answered him: "The terrorists killed mom and dad, but don't worry the army is on the way," a six-year-old girl said, with the composure of a warrior. Amit instructed them to stay in the closet and they, these two little ones, who already know they have lost their father and mother, behaved with indescribable heroism. From seven o’clock in the morning until nine o’clock that evening, they hid inside the closet. Fourteen hours! No food. No water. They didn't say a word. At nine that night, Amit finally managed to direct army forces to their house. The soldiers knocked on the door but there was no answer. They tried again, and then knocked quietly. Silence. Amit told them, “Shout my name! Amit! Maybe they are afraid to go out.” The forces shouted to them: "It's Amit!" and then Michael and Amelia ran towards them. They survived the inferno.

These two kids know that their mother will never return, and pray that their father, who has yet to be located, survived the serious injury, and that Abigail will return home.

Let's bring Abigail home 🙏🙏🙏