“They were smiling as they shot at us”: The Insider speaks with Israelis whose lives were turned upside down on October 7, 2023
On October 7, Israel marked the third anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack of 2023. The Insider spoke to three people whose lives were changed forever that day: a survivor of the attack from Kibbutz Be’eri, a Hamas hostage who spent two years in captivity, and a soldier who was among the first to enter Gaza as part of an armored brigade.
On October 7, 2023, several thousand Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, initially targeting the border kibbutzim of Be'eri and Nahal Oz. For the first seven hours, Be'eri was defended by just 26 individuals. Of the 101 residents killed, 10 were children aged from several months to 17 years, with another 32 taken hostage.
Only one burned-out house remains in the kibbutz, a stark reminder of the tragedy. The last remaining family, the Kipnises, faced a harrowing ordeal as terrorists broke into their home, set it ablaze, and killed both husband and wife. They were forced to hold the door from inside, holding off the attackers for 19 hours until the army arrived.
The family's dog was shot when it approached the intruders. The loss was immense, with bodies scattered across the street and in homes, including the terrorists themselves. Local residents are divided on what to do with the remaining burned-out house, some preferring to keep it as a memorial while others seek to remove it to shield their children from the trauma.
Former hostage Maksim Kharkin shared his harrowing tale, describing how the terrorists displayed a chilling sense of enjoyment while killing civilians.
Written by urgent.news from The Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
