‘Some terrorists are women’: Israeli mother who survived Hamas attacks
- Gat Gonen and her son took shelter while her husband took his gun
- Her husband and other villagers defended their village
- Gonen's son's friend died in the attack along with many others
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(NewsNation) — When violence erupted in Israel, Gat Gonen sought refuge with her two-year-old son while her husband grabbed his gun along with other men to defend their village against Hamas militants.
“They all went to the fence, defended our village and because of those brave men I’m here speaking with you,” Gonen said.
In an interview with NewsNation, Gonen shared how their lives took a drastic turn as they woke up to the sound of missiles on Saturday around 6 AM.
Gonen had made plans for her son’s upcoming second birthday, a celebration with friends and family in the village. Living in a conflict zone, they were used to the sound of sirens and quick dashes to shelter, but this time was different. The intensity of the attack left them in shock, and they soon received messages from friends about terrorists in the village.
As Gonen’s husband, along with a few courageous villagers, defended their community, Gonen was with her son in a shelter.
As they huddled in safety, harrowing messages began pouring in from families of other children in her son’s kindergarten class.
Among the victims was her son’s best friend, a three-year-old who tragically lost his life alongside his parents and two sisters.
Gonen described the difficulty of explaining the situation to her son and how they had to tell him that his best friend was no longer with them.
“I am silent because Omar is not with us anymore,” Gonen said.
Gonen expressed her concern for the youngest victims, including a nine-month-old baby and twins who were only three years old, now kidnapped and in an unknown situation.
“One of the teachers told me that there were women there. Some terrorists were women, and I was shocked,” Gonen said.
Gonen emphasized that their struggle was not just a political conflict between Israelis and Palestinians but a battle between those who valued life and those who sought to harm children and babies.
“I just want to ask the American people, don’t be silent. Speak up. Be with us. Try helping us get our kids back home,” Gonen said.
