Bernard (Paul) Cohen
57
Sufa
On Saturday morning, Sigal Ben Shitrit and her daughter Ofri woke up to the sound of alarms in their home. When the gunfire started at the kibbutz, and they were unable to reach the police, Sigal decided to contact the media for help. She went live and spoke with KAN 11 while terrorists were knocking on her door.
Sigal Ben Shitrit with her three children: Amit, Ofri and Einav
Sigal Ben Shitrit woke up to the sound of alarms. She ran to her daughter Ofri's (16) bedroom, which serves as the house's safe room, along with their dog Tommy. Normally, Ofri would go for her morning run at that time, but that day she was tired and stayed home. They both watched TV to stay updated on the situation.
Sigal, Ofri and the dog Tommy in the safe room
Dozens of terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz through the orchards and the nearby military post. They went house to house, knocking on doors and trying to open them. One of the kibbutz members sent a message in the group’s WhatsApp, warning of the terrorists. Sigal and Ofri were in the safe room when they heard a 'Purple Rain' alert (warning of mortar bombs) from the military post near Sufa. Soon after, they heard gunfire and explosions.
Sigal and Ofri hear noises and gunfire near their house. They realize that the door to their safe room doesn’t close properly, so at one point, they go into the kitchen to grab a knife for self-defense, along with some water and cookies.
Sigal goes live on Kan 11 (Israeli public broadcast live TV channel) from the safe room, begging for help to save the kibbutz members quickly. She tells the anchor, Michal Rabinovich, that terrorists are trying to break into houses in the kibbutz and that the sounds of gunfire around her are continuous. She expresses her concern for the other kibbutz members, explaining that she and her daughter have been in the safe room for hours, with the kibbutz's generator providing electricity. At one point during the conversation, she hears knocking at the door and whispers.
The Kibbutz Ravshatz (Military Ongoing Security Coordinator) reports that the IDF has arrived at the kibbutz. A fight begins between the soldiers and the terrorists.
After 30 hours of staying in the safe room in silence and darkness, Sigal, Ofri, and their dog Tommy leave the house accompanied by soldiers and begin their journey to Eilat, where they will live for about three months.
Some of the kibbutz residents are evacuated to residential buildings in Ramat Gan, including Sigal and Ofri.
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