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How a WhatsApp group became a lifeline amidst Hamas attack on Be'eri Kibbutz, Israel
Terror strikes close-knit Israeli community as Hamas militants infiltrate kibbutz near Gaza border.
In the early hours of Saturday, October 7th, terror struck Be'eri Kibbutz near the Gaza border, shattering the tranquillity of this close-knit community. What began as a seemingly ordinary day swiftly turned into a nightmare as Hamas militants infiltrated the kibbutz, leaving the residents trapped in their homes, frantically communicating their fear, desperation, and pleas for help through a WhatsApp group chat shared with the BBC.
The incident began with a message: "We have a terrorist on the stairs. Call someone." The mothers on the Be'eri mothers' WhatsApp group found themselves at the epicentre of a day-long rampage, documenting their horror, confusion, and efforts to survive as Hamas gunmen roamed the streets, setting homes ablaze and taking hostages.
Inside their safe rooms, these women, along with their families, exchanged messages detailing the chaos unfolding outside. They shared information about the gunmen's locations, offered tips on coping with smoke-filled rooms, and, most heartbreakingly, asked for help that, in some cases, never arrived. The chat transformed into "Be'eri Mothers Emergency," a desperate plea for assistance.
Dafna Gerster, visiting from Germany, described the moment the community realized something was terribly wrong: "Usually you have an alarm... This time, there was no alarm, and it was so loud. It's a sound we could not identify."
As the day wore on, the residents barricaded themselves in their reinforced safe rooms, desperately seeking advice on how to secure their doors against the militants. One person asked, “How do you do an emergency lock? And how do we know that it is really locked?” "Can you lock the safe room?" questioned another. Some even shared makeshift solutions, like using wet cloths or urine to combat smoke inhalation. “Entire house is full of smoke what should I do?” "Try to put a wet cloth on your face. Or urine," a resident suggested.
Amidst the horror, residents exhibited immense bravery, trying to protect one another and uphold their community spirit. Golan Abidbol stood guard in his kitchen, ensuring neighbours were safe, while others offered calming words and encouragement to those in distress. In one exchange, a plea was made: "Is there something someone can say to calm us down?" Almost instantly, a neighbor responded, saying, "I'll tell you," and went on to describe how the army would be able to handle it, providing a reassuring voice amidst the tension.
Throughout the day, the residents' WhatsApp messages oscillated between fear, hope, and despair. They implored for military intervention, questioned the absence of help, and shared their mounting dread. "We understood it wasn't just one terrorist, it was a massive attack," Michal Pinyan said. "In each neighborhood of the kibbutz, we heard 'they're here, they're here,' so they were in each neighborhood at the same time."
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As darkness fell, the chat became a lifeline, keeping hope alive in the face of unimaginable terror. Residents coordinated efforts to identify soldiers from Hamas militants, relying on code words and mutual trust. The arrival of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) brought a glimmer of hope, but uncertainty still loomed as residents grappled with conflicting reports.
The ordeal finally ended with the arrival of the IDF. Families, traumatized and exhausted, were evacuated to safety. As the survivors cope with the aftermath, they mourn the loss of their friends and family, questioning the safety they once took for granted. "They are our friends, they are our family, they are everything to us," Golan Abidbol said. "We want them back."
