7.10.23, the date of rebirth.
A dark day in the history of the State of Israel. On Saturday morning of the Sukkot holiday, I really debated whether or not to go to that party… mainly because I had a month of quite a few expenses and I was thinking about spending less… then I realized that I couldn’t cancel the ticket and I decided to go early in the morning. I not much of a night person, I go from sunrise to sunset!
At the last minute, I was told that there was no refund on tickets, so I messaged Alex, “Are you coming to the party? Or am I going alone?” The first miracle! Alex decided to join. We arranged to meet at 4:30 in the morning and, as planned, we arrived at 6:30, exactly at sunrise!
As we parked the car and got out we already noticed explosions in the sky, and never ending (Iron Dome) interceptions… In my head, I wasn’t even scared, I was just praying that the party would continue because I didn’t want them to silence us! And then… the music stopped and a loud voice said, “Everyone is requested to leave via the emergency exits.” We realized that the party was over!
"I was about to lie down on the road when I noticed a terrorist behind me, running down the road with a weapon"
We had separated from Alex’s boyfriend (Matan), who had come out for a moment to meet us. We rushed back to our car to avoid any traffic jams at the exit. We passed the patrol car that had been at the entrance and turned left towards the highway. We passed a car which in hindsight we realized a terrorist had been hiding in, and hadn’t had time to get out. In front of me, I noticed cars falling apart while driving and I didn’t understand what was happening.
Turning towards the back of the car, I was about to lie down on the road when I noticed a terrorist behind me, running down the road with a live weapon. I yelled at Alex, "Get in the car!!!!!"
“Shani, stop and let’s lie on the ground.” I stopped and got out of the car. Turning towards the back of the car, I was about to lie down on the road when I noticed a terrorist behind me, running down the road with a live weapon. I yelled at Alex, “Get in the car!!!!!”
As we were getting in the car, my mind was racing: “What should we do? Go straight? Try to duck? No, they will spray us with bullets.” I looked left and saw an agricultural field that by some great miracle was not fenced! I turned left and went into the field, and stepped on the gas pedal as hard as I could. They started firing…
"I collapsed onto the floor, dying of pain, and at the same time, scared of screaming so they wouldn’t find us"
Alex said, “Shani don’t stop, Shani don’t stop.” Suddenly there was a boom and a sharp pain in my shoulder. “AAAAAWWWW, they shot me”. Alex said, “Don’t stop Shani.” I continued until I got to a path that cut into another field. Between the path and the field there were a few bushes that turned into hiding places.
I collapsed onto the floor, dying of pain, and at the same time, scared of screaming so they wouldn’t find us. The shooting continued all around.
In total shock, I got out of the car and asked Alex to lay out a mat. I collapsed onto the floor, dying of pain, but at the same time, scared of screaming so they wouldn’t find us.
The shooting continued all around. Each time from a different direction, shells and shots over my head.
It was already 7:30 in the morning, and we still had reception so I called my sister and managed to tell her that I was shot by a terrorist and I needed to be rescued. I managed to send her a location. “They shot Shani.” - Alex said to Matan over the phone. We tried to send a location. At the same time we were trying to call MDA and the police. We still didn’t understand how big of a situation it was. MDA gave us our first instructions; tie a tourniquet, save battery, try to be as composed as possible and wait for rescue. Alex, on the other hand, was giving Matan our location and he was trying to update the police about my situation.
In the middle of the conversation, Matan shouted to Alex, “They are shooting here, there are terrorists.” Through our conversation with Matan, we realized that something really big was happening! Again, we called MDA and the police, and the responses were similar, “You are in the range of fire, they are not letting any forces in.” What do we do? There is no water or food. We tried to keep calm. We prayed to God to send us help.
In the meantime, we noticed a drone flying in the sky, and we weren’t sure if it was the IDF’s. A few minutes later, there was firing in our direction. They were terrorists who were trying to make sure they had killed us. Alex and I hugged and said “Shema Yisrael” (prayer that is traditionally supposed to be one’s final words) and Shir Hamalot (Hebrew prayers). The shooting continued.
I said to Alex, lie under the car and I will play dead. It actually helped, the shooting in our direction stopped. But the exchange of fire all around continued the whole time. Shells and (Iron Dome) interceptions of shells, a burnt smell in the air. There was no reception and I had to pee. “What do we do? I can’t move because I can’t feel my tailbone.” Alex encouraged me to just pee myself. There was no other choice. I tried, and with a little pressure - boom, there was a splash of blood from shrapnel in my neck that went down my chest. I felt indescribable fear.
“'Hello, is there anyone who can come help my friend who is bleeding to death?'"
Again, another call to MDA, they are only taking emergency calls: “Hello, is there anyone who can come help my friend who is bleeding to death.” The answer hard to believe. There was no one who could come. They told us that we were in a state of war. There were no forces, there were many injured people and terrorists in every corner. While Alex was talking to a policeman, I noticed a figure on the horizon walking not very far from me. I shouted to Alex that I see someone, she told the policeman and he answered with a sentence that shook us to our core, “Listen, you have two choices, either to take a chance and stay in the field or take a chance and try to save yourselves, get in the car and get out of there.”
That’s what we did. Alex helped me roll out from under the car which looked like a murder scene. There were pieces of skin and muscle everywhere. But we knew we had no choice. This was the time to leave, there had been less shooting around us and we hoped for the best. We got to the highway, and we ran into a military patrol car and an intensive care vehicle. Alex shouted, “Help, I have someone here who was shot.” They approached us. Alex and I screamed our lungs out, we had succeeded! We were safe.
I can’t believe that we survived that hell. That we fought the odds not to give in to fear. Alex, we have been given life again. Some of our friends are still out there, missing, their families left worried and with questions answered. It is an unbelievable situation!
In the meantime, we noticed a drone flying in the sky, and we weren’t sure if it was the IDF’s. After a few minutes, there was firing in our direction.
I wish all those injured a speedy recovery, send hugs and consolation to all those murdered and a huge prayer that we find those missing alive and well. Sad, heart-breaking and incomprehensible!
Shani H.