An Israeli woman detailed the moments when Hamas terrorists launched their attack against Israel, requiring the woman and her husband to defend their home and children before Israeli soldiers arrived to escort them to safety.
"We started hearing shouting in Arabic and we understood that the terrorists had penetrated the kibbutz, and this is a completely different situation that we're in," kibbutz Nirim resident Michal Ravav told TPS News Agency.
Ravav was in her home early Saturday morning when she heard alarms going off in the kibbutz and ran to get two children and herself into a "safe room" at the home. She said that at first, she had no idea what was happening, citing that news outlets had not yet begun reporting on the Hamas attacks.
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She then heard gunfire and people shouting in Arabic. Her husband, she said, is a police officer and jumped into action to defend the family from terrorists.
"He positioned himself at the beginning of the house, the front of the house, to track and monitor to see if they're coming in. And when we heard them coming close, I ran to a safe room and closed the door. I heard my husband starting to shoot – he has a rifle – there was a lot of shooting."
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Ravav said her husband soon returned and said that he "killed a terrorist" who was trying to get into the home. The couple then heard "a big blast," she said.
"They threw a grenade at the safe room’s door and then they started shooting at it, as well as at the window," Ravav said. "All this time, I had children who are on the floor, petrified, quiet, under body armors that we have."
She said that she and her husband aimed their firearms at the safe room’s door, telling each other, "Whatever comes in, we’re ready."
Ravav said she frantically texted people to help the family, but they remained in the house for at least seven hours before Israeli soldiers escorted them to a "group location" at the kibbutz. The family is still waiting to be evacuated from the area.
The Israeli government officially declared war on Sunday, the first time the nation has made such a declaration since the Yom Kippur War of 1973. At least 700 people have died in Israel due to the attacks, while others, including women and children, have reportedly been taken hostage by Hamas terrorists.
