Grieving Families Share Final Messages From October 7th Massacre

As the three-year anniversary of the October 7th massacre approaches, victims and their families are initiating a social media campaign to commemorate the event. This initiative involves sharing screenshots of final, harrowing communications from the morning of the attack, urging Israelis nationwide to participate by posting their own message records.

Among the poignant testimonies is that of Natalia Kesrouti, mother of Keshet Kesrouti, who was killed by Hamas terrorists at the Nova music festival. Natalia shared a WhatsApp exchange with her son from the morning of October 7th. At 8:59 AM, she texted "Talk to me," and later, at 10:39 AM, added, "I'm praying you don't have battery or you're just sleeping even though the whole country is burning around you. Talk to me please." Natalia wrote that her son was no longer alive when she sent the message, marking the beginning of "our life's nightmare, which has not ended."

Another moving account comes from Eyal Ashal, father of Roni Ashal, an IDF lookout who fell in battle at the Nachal Oz base. Eyal shared messages sent from the phone of Roni's friend, Osher Barzilai. In messages sent at 9:27 AM, Roni attempted to reassure her mother, writing, "Mom I'm okay don't worry I'm in the command room I have no reception." After her mother replied "I love you," Roni added, "Mom I'm okay don't worry about me, I love you too" with heart emojis. Her mother responded, "Okay my dear, take care of yourself." This was the last communication received from Roni before her voice fell silent.

Ashal appealed to the public to join the digital memorial, stating, "On the morning of the massacre, we received a message from Osher Barzilai's number, it was Roni from Osher's phone. She tried to reassure us, but in retrospect, it was the last time we spoke to her. Since then, her voice has been silenced. I call on each and every one of you, even if you were not directly harmed in the massacre, go back to your communications from that cursed morning. To the moments of fear, shock, and uncertainty. Share them too."

The public initiative is gaining widespread traction, with many citizens responding by sharing text messages, voice notes, and screenshots from that morning. These communications serve as a painful, human, and historical document of the dramatic transition from a Saturday morning routine to the outbreak of terror and war, reminding everyone of the heavy price and open wound that continues to affect Israeli society three years later.