The Iron Lions

“I stood outside the safe room (mamad) with the weapon, looking at my neighbors next door, both adults, and saw them kidnapped.” Yoram Baum, 67, recounts with a trembling voice how he saved his family in Kfar Gaza after they kidnapped the woman from the house in front of him, along with several children. 

"Aside from me, there were four other adults, my two grandchildren, and the dog. Luckily, I had a gun. As I stayed outside the safe room (mamad), I looked out my shutters. That way I could see outside and they could not see me. I saw them going door to door next to us and trying to break in. When they reached my house, I waited for them with my gun. They couldn't break the door, so they shot and broke a glass door on the side. Fortunately, I had a good and protected view of them. Then I shot at them and they ran outside, then they threw grenades in. In light of my military experience, I managed to run and hide each time they threw a grenade and then come back.”

“A burning sponge was later thrown in to try and burn down the house and make me come out and reveal myself. They kept peeking through the kitchen windows with their Kalashnikovs at the ready. They waited for the fire to happen and I didn't go out to put out the sponge. The sponge fortunately didn't start a fire, and eventually they left. I put out the sponge. I always kept my weapon under observation. My family stayed in the safe room (mamad).”

“Only one day after, we were evacuated. Soldiers arrived with jeeps and told us to leave. At first we thought it’s another trap of Hamas. Until they spoke clear Hebrew to me, I wouldn’t leave the house. Finally, the soldiers realized that they had to come out and show themselves, and then they evacuated us.”