At 6:30 in the morning, the explosions started, and we heard gunfire. We quickly understood that these weren’t regular explosions. In our WhatsApp group, we understood that terrorists infiltrated the village.
We closed the safe room and heard voices and shouting in Arabic. We heard the terrorists outside our house, so my husband and I quieted down and spoke through pantomime. Through hand movements, we agreed that if the terrorists entered, he would hold the door, and I’d escape with Shia, our one-month-old daughter.
They started to open the window of the safe room, and a terrorist’s hand entered through the window; they started to push the metal windows open. Yahav held the window, and I ran outside through the safe room’s door, with Shia in my arms. She slept through this and did not wake up.
"Every sob was like prey for them"
I started to run and tried to enter the neighbor’s house, I knocked on the door and there was no answer. I hid in the bushes and later on behind doors. I heard them getting close again, and I entered the neighbor’s shed. The shots continued, and I put window boxes on top of us, and for self-defense, I took a hammer and chisel.
But then Shia started to cry, and they started closing in towards us. Every sob was like prey for them. They heard her cry and started to get closer. I ran outside and knocked on the neighbor’s door, who saw me through their cameras. I joined them in their safe room along with their three children. We had sour milk and water that we shared between us. My daughter barely agreed to eat it, but it’s all we had since I couldn’t breastfeed. Instead of a pacifier, I gave her my finger.
The first time I let myself break down was when we were rescued from the safe room after the security forces cleared the area. I tried to think about where my husband was and felt guilty that I didn’t tell him to come with me.
I don’t know where he is. I’m asking for your help. His body was not at home, and he isn’t in any of the hospitals. The absurd part about it is that I hope he is being held hostage.
Shay Lee A.
Source: Ynet