The Kashi Family From Kibbutz Kerem Shalom on October 7th | Kan 07.10.360

Irena, an assistant at the kibbutz's kindergarten, wakes up early on the last day of her holiday break before returning to work. She walks into the nearby orchards with the family’s three dogs. Her husband, Shai, is at "Psyduck"— a trance party held in an open field near their kibbutz. He arrives at the party at 2 a.m. earlier that day. At one point during the night, Shai remarks to his friends, “What courage it takes for anyone to allow a party to take place so close to Gaza.”

Irena crosses the kibbutz’s gate and heads toward Route 232. This route has a left turn leading to the orchards of Kibbutz Kerem Shalom, Kibbutz Sufa and Kibbutz Holit. About four kilometers away from the kibbutz, Irena spots an IDF vehicle parked nearby and wonders why is it parking there. She ventures deeper into the orchard but chooses not to get too far, finding a spot to watch the sunrise while listening to a podcast

Irena listens to a podcast when she notices movement in the sky. Removing her headphones, she hears the red alert blaring: rocket barrages from the Gaza Strip begin raining down. She calls Rachel from the kibbutz's emergency team, who instructs her to seek shelter and lie flat on the ground. Irena runs through the fields with the dogs and hides behind a cypress tree. Meanwhile, at home, her middle son, Tzahi (17), rushes to the safe room with his younger brother, Hillel (11). Irena's older daughter, Liel (21), stays with her partner, Maor, in another apartment in the kibbutz, where there is no safe room

Rockets and mortar shells fall in the fields surrounding Irena and the dogs. She messages her younger sons to check if they are okay and also texts her eldest daughter, Liel, who urges her, “Lie on the ground!!!” Irena looks toward Route 232 and sees smoke rising in the distance, realizing that something unusual is occurring. She decides to keep on sheltering among the trees

Shortly after the rocket barrages begin, Shai, Irena's husband, decides to flee the party. He gets into his vehicle and drives quickly toward the orchards of Kibbutz Nir Oz. In the distance, he notices white trucks moving through the fields, unaware that terrorists man them. While driving, Shai calls his daughter, Liel, who informs him that Irena is hiding in the orchards. He then calls Irena and asks her to send him her exact location so he can come to rescue her. At the same time, the kibbutz's Ravshatz (Military Security Coordinator), Eliya Ben Shimol, sends a message to the kibbutz residents, instructing them to lock themselves in their homes

Shai manages to track Irena down. They drive back to their kibbutz, unaware that terrorists have invaded it just minutes earlier

Irena and Shai arrive back at their home in the kibbutz. Irena joins their children in the safe room, while Shai stays outside. A few minutes later, the sound of nearby gunshots fills the air. Shai looks through the kitchen window and sees several terrorists passing just outside their house. Grabbing a knife, he crawls toward the safe room

The family hears gunshots striking their warehouse. Throughout the day, battles unfold around the Kashi's home between the kibbutz’s Security Squad and the terrorists. Irena’s daughter, Liel, messages her that she and her partner, Maor, are trapped in their unprotected apartment, terrified: “We’re both shaking,” she writes

Liel asks her mother to join her in her house’s safe room. But it is too late; combat outside is in full swing, and a curfew is still in effect. Liel also mentions that she is worried about her friends at the nearby "Nova" party, who haven’t responded to her messages. Irena tries to calm her down

Liel and her partner make their way independently to Irena’s house. The family spends the night together in the house’s safe room, waiting for evacuation forces — which don’t arrive until the following evening