October 7: A Volunteer’s Story from Nahal Oz

The Morning That Changed Everything

October 7 began like any other quiet morning in Nahal Oz, a small kibbutz near the Gaza border. The golden light of dawn spilled across the farmland, and the air was still. For residents living this close to the border, each day held a quiet tension, but no one could have anticipated the storm that was about to strike. That morning would become a defining moment in the lives of everyone in the region.

One volunteer, Yael, a 27-year-old teacher from Tel Aviv who had come to Nahal Oz just weeks earlier to help with community education, found herself at the center of the chaos. Her story encapsulates the raw emotion of resilience, fear, and ultimately hope, as she recounts what happened on that fateful day.

The First Sounds of War

Yael remembers the sudden, sharp noise that shattered the morning stillness. It wasn’t just one explosion—it was a wave of sirens, screams, and distant gunfire. At first, she thought it might be another routine rocket warning. But the speed and intensity of the attack told a different story.

Within minutes, word spread that militants had crossed the border. The kibbutz was no longer a place of quiet living and shared meals—it was a battlefield.

She and a small group of residents rushed to the designated shelter, hearts pounding. Children clung to their parents, trying to make sense of the panic. In that small, crowded room, Yael found herself staring into the eyes of fear. But what struck her even more was the unspoken courage that pulsed through the room. People were terrified, but they held each other together.

Hours of Silence and Terror

For nearly ten hours, they remained in hiding, listening to gunfire and praying for safety. Yael recalls counting the breaths of the children next to her, trying to distract them with whispered stories. She didn’t know if they would make it through.

The attack on Nahal Oz was relentless. By the time it was over, destruction lay all around. Homes were shattered, lives were lost, and the community was left broken. But through it all, Yael felt something grow inside her—a fierce determination to help rebuild what had been torn apart.

The Days That Followed

In the aftermath of October 7, Yael did not leave. While many volunteers returned to the cities, shaken and traumatized, she chose to stay. She helped organize food deliveries, comforted grieving families, and played with the children who had witnessed horrors no one should ever see.

She watched as neighbors, exhausted and wounded, helped one another with silent understanding. She stood by as strangers arrived with supplies, and soldiers offered their shoulders for support.

Each moment carried the weight of grief, but it was balanced by moments of grace and connection.

A New Sense of Purpose

Yael’s story is not just about survival—it is about transformation. October 7 tore through the lives of everyone in Nahal Oz, but for her, it also lit a fire. She decided to document the experience, not for fame or attention, but to ensure the world understood the humanity behind the headlines.

She began leading workshops for trauma healing, drawing from her background as a teacher. Children began to laugh again. Parents slowly allowed themselves to breathe. The community was no longer just surviving—it was beginning to heal.

Life on the Borderlands

Living on Israel’s borderlands means existing with uncertainty. But it also means living with a strength that is impossible to break. Yael’s story from October 7 is not just one of fear—it is one of profound resilience.

It is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is light to be found in human connection. The kibbutz of Nahal Oz, wounded but not broken, continues to grow flowers in scorched soil. And in those blooms, hope takes root once more.