Aron Troen can hardly speak, overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of loss and shock. His sister and brother-in-law lost their lives on Saturday morning when Hamas launched a large-scale surprise attack from Gaza, infiltrating over 20 communities in southern Israel.
"My sister, Shahar, and her husband, Shlomi, were brutally killed when the terrorists reached their kibbutz and went house to house, systematically taking the lives of all they found," Troen told DW. Shortly after, he spoke on the phone with his sister's son, Rotem.
Rotem's father, Shlomi, a music professor, lost his life while attempting to secure the door to their shelter—a common feature in most homes in the Gaza border area, providing protection from rockets and mortar fire.
"His mother placed Rotem on the bed and shielded him with her body, protecting her child. They killed her, they killed Shlomi," Troen recounted.
Sixteen-year-old Rotem was wounded in the abdomen and remained hidden under his mother, feigning death for over half an hour. "We only found out when he started texting us: 'Mom and Dad are dead. Please help me, help me,'" Troen said.
"Palestinians have their suffering, but there is no excuse or way to ever accept this kind of hatred, violence, and inhuman behavior," Troen asserted.
The Scale of the Attack Takes Israel by Surprise
As more details emerge about the events of Saturday, October 7th, many Israelis struggle to come to terms with the unprecedented terrorist attack on 21 Israeli communities and army bases near the Gaza Strip. On Monday, battles continued in some villages, and the Israeli army appeared to be working to regain control in certain areas.
In 2007, the militant group Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States, and other countries, seized power in Gaza from the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. Israel cites security reasons for significantly restricting the movement of people and goods to and from the territory.
Dozens of Israelis Remain Missing
Amy Segal, 27, resides in Tel Aviv. Her friend Ram Sela, who worked at the Re'im kibbutz music festival near the Gaza border fence, had been missing for days. On Tuesday, his family received confirmation that he had lost his life during the festival attack.
"We are desperate," she told DW. "He was working at the festival a week before the event, and when the attack happened, he was sleeping where all the workers were staying."
Around 6:30 AM on Saturday, as the Jewish festival of Sukkot came to a close, thousands were dancing at dawn when suddenly the anti-aircraft sirens blared. Rocket launches from Gaza were followed by heavy gunfire, according to eyewitness accounts. At least 260 bodies have been found at this location alone.
Dozens of people remain missing, believed to have been taken hostage by the terrorists. Heart-wrenching videos have circulated on social media, showing young Israelis, elderly individuals, and children bloodied and bruised, being loaded onto motorcycles or vans and taken to Gaza. Approximately 100 Israelis, both civilians and military personnel, are believed to have been taken hostage in this manner, but a definitive figure has not been confirmed.
In the past, Hamas has used Israeli hostages as bargaining chips to secure the release of its members from Israeli prisons. An Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas in 2006 after an ambush was released in 2011 in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
