On the morning of October 7th, 2023, I woke up at an IDF base near the Gaza border expecting an ordinary day.

Within minutes, that illusion shattered.

I was serving in the 7th Armored Brigade, stationed between Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Kibbutz Kfar Aza. When the attack began, our base became one of the first targets. Within 20 minutes, we were no longer soldiers going about routine duties—we were fighting for our lives. Dozens, and then hundreds, of Hamas terrorists infiltrated the area. A group of us took shelter in a fortified room, where the battle quickly turned into close-quarters combat.

For hours, we were face-to-face with terrorists, sometimes just 10 or 12 feet away.

The fighting dragged on through the morning. Then a grenade exploded inside the shelter. Some of us were wounded. Those who could still move had to escape.

When I made it outside, I saw one of our tanks engulfed in flames. Not far from it lay my close friend and fellow commander, Yoni Golan. I tried to reach him. It was too late.

With my ammunition nearly gone and my weapon no longer functioning, I ran and hid in dense bushes at the edge of the base. I stayed there alone for nearly five hours while the battle........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)