The Iron Lions

This is my testimony from the inferno in the Gaza Envelope. Sorry if it's confusing or unclear. I'm just saying it doesn't describe even one percent of my emotions.

Friday: Yair asks to sleep at the neighbors – go ahead sweetie, have fun.

Yigal reminds me he's leaving at six in the morning to pick up a friend from the airport.

Fast forward 8 hours.

7.10.23

Six thirty in the morning.

Siren – Arad runs to me and I run to her.

I send Yigal a message that Yair isn't home and then relax, because they're sleeping in the safe room.

The sirens don't stop and then I hear shooting and Arabic.

"That's Arabic?? That's Arabic!!"

I write in the kibbutz group: "I hear Arabic."

At first they don't believe me... until yes.

The house windows shatter and they're inside. 2-3 speaking among themselves and I hold the safe room handle. Arad fell asleep and so did Arbel... they switched themselves off.

I write to Yigal, "They're here." Looks like they see the other safe room empty and think no one is home.

And Yigal... races back home. In hindsight it was madness but at eight-something he was home.

Yairi... I try going out and hear them outside the house. Go back inside and try to reach our beloved Katy and Shai. Yair is there at their house.

They write: “Terrorists in the house,” and disappear from radar.

My heart is crushed and shattered. Hours of no answer. And Yigal doesn't tell me but Yair's phone signals to him that it’s in Khan Yunis.

The kids are thirsty, hungry, but they don't make a peep.

I empty the closet, take a basket and clothes and organize a bathroom corner (I'll spare you the details).

All this time me and the neighbors are begging for help, while outside there’s shooting, terrorists, and a house with a baby catches fire and they suffocate.

How many times did I write in the group, "No army!!" "And where's the army".

Our wonderful and brave rapid response team went from house to house trying to help. Our angels.

And people who kept me sane and empowered me while we were hiding inside.

"Yair... I have no Yair," I cry.

Many hours pass and our neighbor Shai finally writes back. Until he tells us the name of the dog he wanted to adopt, we don't believe it's him. The terrorists took the phones. They're okay. Then again they update us about terrorists and disappear. My heart is about to come out of my chest.

At 3:30pm!! They rescue Yair and our beloved friends. Yair calls to hear our voices, and my heart heals.

We’re allowed to leave the safe room to get food and water, and go back as fast as we can.

Still shooting, Arabic, and so we go back into the safe room.

It sounds like they're hiding in our house.

The IDF arrives again at 5pm and I connect with Yair. God... my beauty, what a hug.

I heard from Katy what a hero he was and gave strength and hugged. They evacuated us to the kibbutz’s baby house together with the army for the night. At five in the evening the next day we left the kibbutz in a convoy.

The Nir'im group... I scrolled back. The horror.

We were abandoned and no one should tell me otherwise.