When she heard the sirens start blaring at 6:30 in the morning on October 7, Shir Azoulay went out into the yard of her house in Kibbutz Holit to observe and photograph the rockets. But a short time later, she began to hear not only the sounds of the rockets firing but also gunfire. Then she saw people dressed in military uniforms shooting everywhere, and when she realized that they were not IDF soldiers but Hamas terrorists, she raced home to her safe room and kept taking pictures from the window.
When the gunfire subsided for a bit, Shir ran to the kitchen to arm herself with a knife. “I knew it wouldn’t help me, but it strengthened my self-confidence,” she said.
Shir locked herself back in the safe room with her dog, Bentzi, only armed with the knife. On her phone, she saw a message on the Kibbutz WhatsApp group from her neighbor Miriam, who wrote that the terrorists had set her house on fire and she was in her own safe room, choking from the smoke and asking for help.
Suddenly the light in Shir’s safe room went out, and another neighbor who could see Shir’s house called her to let her know that terrorists were now setting Shir’s house on fire and she needed to leave immediately.
Shir was faced with an impossible dilemma: leave her safe room and potentially meet the terrorists head-on, or stay inside and burn. She made the split-second decision to take her chances and left the safe room, barefoot and armed with her knife.
Instead of looking for somewhere safe to hide outside her home, Shir ran to Miriam’s and still barefoot, tried to enter her neighbor’s house, but flames blocked her from entering the front door. Shir then went to the window of Miriam’s safe room, broke the glass, and together with a neighbor, removed the metal shield over the window, only to discover Miriam passed out on the floor.
Shir poured a bucket of water on Miriam to try to wake her up and Miriam started responding. To protect Miriam from the fire, Shir put a wet towel on her, and called for more neighbors, and together they all managed to get Miriam out of the safe room, just as the terrorists started shooting again. After 12 hours, Shir, an unconscious again Miriam, and other neighbors were able to be rescued from their kibbutz. Thanks to her neighbors and fellow kibbutzniks, Miriam survived.
Many kibbutzes near the Gaza border were hit hard on October 7, with residents killed, injured and kidnapped, and homes and structures severely damaged and burned. The Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT), often the first responder for families and individuals impacted by terror, has been distributing immediate grants within 24-48 hours of a direct attack, offering support for short-term needs and helping with long-term rehabilitation and post-trauma care.
The Fund is made possible by the generosity of the Jewish Federations of North America / United Israel Appeal, Keren Hayesod, foundations and donors worldwide and people like you. Our aid is critical for victims’ immediate well-being and long-term recovery and we are currently operating and supporting more victims on a wider scale than ever before. To support the Fund, donate here.
