October 7 Stories

The Roadside Shelters of October 7th

At dawn on October 7, the first rockets fell on the Nova festival, silencing the music and sending hundreds fleeing along Route 232. Fortified roadside shelters (built to protect from rocket fire) became the only hope for many. Dozens crammed inside these concrete rooms, believing they had found safety. Within minutes, armed terrorist squads poured across the border, taking control of the road and surrounding communities. Nine shelters along the route became death traps: grenades and gunfire tore through the crowds inside, executions were carried out at point-blank range, and some victims were abducted. In these attacks, approximately 87 civilians were murdered and only a handful survived to tell what happened in those rooms.

The videos that follow bear witness to five of these shelters, each a story of terror, courage, and unimaginable loss.

Defenseless and innocent people sought refuge,

believing they were safe.

But instead, terrorists infiltrated and massacred them.

Shelter 1

“Blue Bird” megunit

Twenty people sought refuge in the small “Blue Bird” shelter near Kibbutz Re’im, unaware that more than twenty armed terrorists were closing in. What followed were hours of relentless grenades, point-blank gunfire, and chilling negotiations as victims pleaded for their lives. Aner, a Nahal fighter, caught and threw back grenades to protect others until an RPG struck, killing him instantly. When the terrorists finally stormed the shelter, they executed those who remained, taking Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Or Levi, Eliya Cohen, and Alon Ohali.

By the end, sixteen were murdered, four kidnapped, and only seven emerged alive.

These are the names of those who were murdered:

  • Aner Shapiro
  • Amit Ben Avida
  • Karine Shwarcman
  • Tamar Samet
  • Laor Abramov
  • Nitzan Rahoum
  • Lidor Levy
  • Yoad Peer
  • Segev Israel Kizhner
  • Ayelet Arnin
  • Antonio Macias
  • Yvonne Rubio
  • Einav Elkaim Levy
  • Osama Abu Asa
  • Shani Koprowasser
  • Itay Benjo

Hersh was murdered in captivity. Or and Eliya were released from captivity after one and a half years. Alon remains in captivity.

They were murdered outside of the megunit:

  • Raz Bokovza
  • Roni Polvanov
  • Shaked Habani

Shelter 2

The “Dog” megunit, Alumim and Mefalsim

“Hi Dad, I’m speaking with you from Mefalsim. See how many people I have killed with my own hands. Your son has killed Jews. It’s in Mefalsim, Dad.”

In the “Dog” megunit, Yonatan shielded his partner and told his mother in a final call: “Take care of the siblings… I don’t know if I’ll make it back.”

These are the names of those who were murdered:

  • Izabella Gandlin
  • Yonatan Hay Azulay
  • Barak Davidi
  • Laurie Vardi
  • Sun Yakobov
  • Sharon Gordani
  • Itzik Dahan
  • Celine Ben David Nagar
  • Shlomi Davidovich
  • Adir Tamam
  • Shiraz-Shiran Yishmereni (Tamam)

Shelter 3

The “Farmer,” “Garden Drawing,” “Horse,” and entrance to Re’im meguniot

The first young people who traveled south along Route 232 and reached the Gama Junction encountered dozens of terrorists who had infiltrated Israeli territory from the Kisufim area and were moving through the junction, where three roadside shelters were located.

These are the names of those who were murdered:

  • Eden Abdulayev
  • Shani Ben Ami
  • Hanan Amer
  • Ofer Udi
  • Dan Ariel
  • Ron Shemer
  • Gal Navon
  • Joseph ‘Sefi’ Genis
  • Limor Vaknin Permuter
  • Ilay Nachman
  • Matan Eckstein
  • Addir Masika
  • Anita Listman
  • Segev Shushan

Shelter 4

The “Painting Path” megunit

In the “Painting Path” megunit, around a hundred terrorists swarmed the area. Forty innocent civilians were crammed inside, pressed so tightly together that no one could move. Grenades exploded at the entrance, gunfire echoed from every direction, and the air grew thick and suffocating. Hours dragged by in agony as bodies piled, blood and sweat mingled, and desperate thirst drove some to drink whatever liquid they could find. For many, the choice became unbearable: step outside and be shot, or remain inside and die slowly.

These are the names of those who were murdered:

  • Noy Aviv
  • Sigal Itach
  • Dean Nehorai Bar
  • Shahem Bar
  • Tal Bartik (Klein)
  • Liel Jarfi
  • Ronen Deitshman
  • Kim Damti
  • Idan Herman
  • Daniel Meir Vadai
  • Liel Weinstein
  • Noa Zander
  • Hadar Chashon
  • Shahem Yaakov
  • Shenhav Yaakov
  • Eden Naftali
  • Maya Poder
  • Noa Perj
  • Amit Cohen
  • Livnat Levi
  • Norel Manzuri
  • Roya Manzuri
  • Hanani Galor
  • Rotem Neiman
  • Hai Haim Tzafati
  • Eitan Rafael Shnir

Omer Wanaker was kidnapped.

Shelter 5

The “Picture of Girl” megunit, Be’eri

At dawn, what began as dancing at the Nova festival turned into a fight for survival. Fleeing rocket fire, dozens crowded into a small blue-painted shelter. With no door to shield them, grenades and gunfire tore through the air as bodies fell, crushing the living beneath the dead. For seven hours, survivors played dead, endured multiple attacks, and clung to fragments of hope. Only nine walked out alive.

These are the names of those who were murdered:

  • Lotan Abir
  • Sophia Gonen
  • Ariel Biton
  • Gilad Ben Yehuda
  • Eden Ben Rubi
  • Eldad Bergman
  • Kim Dukarker
  • Dan Zomar
  • Alexandre Look
  • Raz Mizrahi
  • Adi Morgalit
  • Liraz Nisan
  • May Naim
  • Avi Sasi
  • Linor Keinan
  • Roni Shitrit
  • Orel Peso

Witness

These shelters still stand

Not as protection,

but as witnesses to the lives stolen inside.

Music written, produced, and performed by Aner.