The Story of Marom family from Kibbutz Reim on October 7th | Kan 7.10.360

Liki Marom, 28, was paralyzed in a car accident several years ago. Her parents, Raviv (64) and Michal (62), renovated the house and adapted it to her needs. On the weekend of Simchat Torah, they hosted their daughter Guy, her partner Lidor Ben Hayoun, who is also wheelchair-bound, and their 3-year-old son Or. As the alerts begin, Raviv and Michal go outside to see what is happening. The rest of the family goes into the safe room together with Agimol jakob (50), Liki's nursing caregiver, an Indian citizen, and the family dog, Nino

Raviv and Michal hear light weapons gunfire and return to the safe room. They are alerted to the infiltration of terrorists and close the protective window

Terrorists break in through the main gate of the kibbutz and from several other points, as well. About half an hour later, residents in the kibbutz's WhatsApp group report gunshots, arson, and terrorists invading homes.

Several terrorists infiltrate the family home. They go up to the attic above the MDA and set fire to the house. In those moments, family members think that the IDF will protect them

In the family WhatsApp group, Raviv and Michal's son Shir, who lives next door to them on the kibbutz, corresponds with his parents. He checks on their safety and Michal replies: “There's smoke and we're suffocating.” About 20 minutes later, Michal updates the WhatsApp group: “The house is full of smoke.”

Shir tries to contact his family members, but without success. Michal drops her phone and Raviv's phone is unavailable

As they suffocate on the smoke, Agimol, Liki's caregiver, suggests to the family members to get out of the safe room: “Maybe it's better to die from a bullet than to die from the smoke.” She climbs out the window with Guy and Guy's toddler son Or. After they go out the window they see several armed men. Guy, unsure of their identity, hides, whilst Agimol shouts at them and they answer in Hebrew. The realize that they are Israeli and tell them about the family in the safe room

Few policemen and a member of the security squad, Imri Bonim, rescue the members of the Marom family from the burning house. They are then evacuated to the homes of two families in the kibbutz. Raviv and Michal evacuate with Liki, who is injured during the rescue, to the house of the neighboring Gaffner family. Agimol, Guy, Lidor, and Or find shelter in the home of the Hech family. After being rescued, Raviv updates the family WhatsApp that Michal, Liki and him are safe, but that the dog, Nino, was left in the safe room

IDF troops who are in the kibbutz drive Guy and her family in a military jeep to her brother Shir's house, where they spend the night. Agimol evacuates to the house where Liki's other caregiver lives.

Members of the kibbutz are instructed to evacuate independently. The family members emerge from the safe rooms of their friends in the kibbutz and see that their house and family car have been burned. They also find out that their dog, Nino, didn't survive. They get a car from one of the neighbors and drive to Kibbutz Revivim. Later in the day, Shir, Guy, and their families move to Kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh