Kan 7.10.360: The Story of Kibbutz Erez on October 7th

Kibbutz Erez wakes up to the sound of alarms and loud explosions. Meanwhile, through the nearby Erez Crossing, Hamas's Nukhba forces are incurring into Israeli territory from several points. Close to Kibbutz Erez, the border fence is breached with a bulldozer trampling it.

The Ravshatz of the kibbutz, Or Haba, who was sleeping that Saturday in Jerusalem, calls his deputy, Amit Zarqa, and at the same time tries to contact the army, without success. He writes in the WhatsApp group of the security squad: “As you understand, Red Color in the kibbutz. “I want to know who is at home"

Or the Ravshatz is updated from afar on the firing of firearms heard in the kibbutz, and he decides to dispatch the ten members of the security squad who were at the kibbutz. Ben Sadan, the former Kibbutz Ravshatz, takes command of the security squad in the field. At the same time, Or heads south from Jerusalem.

The Local Emergency Team (Tsachi) mans the Kibbutz situation room. There, the members of the security squad concentrate and receive two-way radios and disperse to combat positions along the fence. Two of them are positioned in a monument commemorating the memory of the Palmach fighters, which is located at a high point in the kibbutz looking down on the Erez Crossing. From there they identify fighting in the crossing and report it on the squad radio. About 20 minutes later, the two notice two vans driving through the orchards, near Highway 4, toward the kibbutz's back gate. They understand that these are terrorists and prepare for their arrival.

Two members of the security squad on the Palmach Hill open fire at the vans racing to the kibbutz. About 20 terrorists pass them and advance toward the blue back gate, where two other security squad members, Uri Strasberg and Yossi Haddad, are waiting ready in their positions. They spot the vans and shoot at them with strong fire. The terrorists get off the vehicles and respond with a massive attack of grenade fire and RPGs. A bullet pierces Uri's helmet and he wounds his head. At this point, the remaining members of the security squad leave the other combat positions and all head to the battle for the Blue Gate

The members of the security squad settle into combat positions in the Zeitim neighborhood bordering the Blue Gate, including in the courtyards of the houses on the first line - the Regev family home and the Yungerman house - and from there they wage a gunfight. Amit Yungerman, whose house is hit by heavy gunfire, records a message for members of the security squad: “Guys, they are shooting at my house! Come here, everybody! Where's the army, what's going on here?! Tell us you're defending us.”

During the battle, security squad member, Reserve Major Amir Naeem, is mortally wounded by a sniper hiding in the bushes. He manages to reach the doorway of the Regev family home - and collapses at the entrance. Amir was survived by his three-month-pregnant wife, Shahar. Another security squad member, Danny Epstein, was injured in a driveway outside the neighborhood and was evacuated to the situation room by a resident who came to assist. The Regev family treats Amir.

Yossi and Uri continue to fight the terrorists alone at their position at the Blue Gate. Uri loses a lot of blood, and Yossi begs the the security squad's WhatsApp group to rescue them from there: “listen people it's not funny... They're screwing us here, shooting bombs, RPGs, grenades at us... Uri's bleeding from the head, he's starting to lose focus and we're running out of ammo. Please get us out of here.”

When he nears the kibbutz, Or the Ravshatz is updated about the wounded from the securuty squad and receives a message from the army: there are no rescue forces to send to Erez. He calls Yaniv Kastenbaum, the Ravshatz of the nearby kibbutz Or HaNer, where there is no battle, and asks him to come to their aid. Yaniv immediately accedes and sends three members of the Or HaNer security squad to rescue Yossi and Uri from the Blue Gate. The three come from the east and are entered into the kibbutz through the main gate. Or asks Ori and Yossi to hold on: “I'll be there in a moment, Or HaNer security squad are coming in to help you.” After a few minutes, another security squad member arrives from Or HaNer with more ammo.

The Ravshatz of Kibbutz Erez arrives at the Kibbutz' situation room along with three other residents from Or HaNer, who also join the fighting. His deputy reports a suspicious movement in Shikma stream , and they decide to launch a drone and scan the fence. The drone reveals a squad of terrorists speeding toward the kibbutz farm from the back gate. Two Erez residents who arrived to help are sent in the presumed direction of the terrorists, and fighting ensues there. The terrorists detonate a charge on the fence. Together with reinforcements from the security squad members, the force manages to repel the terrorists.

After persistently fighting off terrorists at the blue gate, with reinforcements from the members of the Or HaNer and Erez security squads, Uri and Yossi manage to leave their position for the first time since 7:00 AM. They arrive at the Regev family home, who begin to treat them. While the family updates that they are directing Uri and Yossi toward the situation room - the terrorists fire an RPG into the window of their house. Some inhabitants of the house are lightly wounded by shrapnel. After about 45 minutes, they manage to evacuate the wounded.

The terrorists' attack on Erez is thwarted. Members of the kibbutz's security squad, along with those who arrived from Or HaNer, keep on carrying out scans on the fence, part of which was breached as a result of bombs detonated by the terrorists. Residents are still besieged in safe rooms. During the battles throughout the day, four members of the security squad were wounded, two lightly and two severely. Nurses living in the kibbutz were dispatched to treat the wounded and evacuated them to hospitals.

Paratrooper Brigade commander, Colonel Ami Biton, arrives at the kibbutz with some of his fighters and is updated about the situation. Since the attack on the kibbutz was stopped, the IDF leaves five soldiers in the kibbutz, and advances with permission to other settlements. The seucurty squad, along with the reinforcements, continues to guard the sectors of the kibbutz until 13:00 - then 15 paratroopers arrive to reinforce and allow the squad members to return to their homes

A large military force of the multidimensional unit arrives at the kibbutz and begins conducting field scans. Two hours later, at midnight, residents are permitted to exit their safe rooms for the first time. Around midnight, some begin to evacuate independently from the kibbutz.