Reporter Recounts Breaking Down on Air After Oct. 7 Massacre

Three years after the October 7th massacre, Channel 12 news reporter Gilad Shmor has shared his experience of a particularly harrowing moment during a live broadcast. In a personal Instagram post, Shmor shared a clip from his broadcast on Highway 232, where he broke down in tears while reading the names of fallen soldiers. He described the scene as chaotic, with burnt-out vehicles and bodies on the ground, stating, "I didn't understand anything." He and his cameraman struggled to focus on their technical tasks amidst the unfolding disaster.

During the broadcast, Shmor was informed by his editor that the IDF had cleared the first list of 26 names for publication. As he began reading them, he encountered the name of someone he knew, which caused him to falter. "Something cracked within me. And I choked up," he recounted. Despite trying to maintain composure for the millions of viewers, tears welled up in his eyes.

Shmor reflected that this moment of losing his professional detachment became part of the story. He wrote that his appearance, "wearing a black t-shirt and beard, a bulletproof vest and tears in my eyes, also tells a story, about being human amidst the horror, about staying connected to what you feel."

After finishing the broadcast and leaving the scene with his crew, Shmor reported hearing nearby gunfire. He also shared how, three years later, certain sensory details still trigger difficult memories. He has not used the aftershave he wore that morning, as its scent has become linked to the sights and smells of Highway 232. Shmor noted that the experience has led him to develop his ability to speak openly about his feelings, rather than suppressing them. He concluded his post by referencing his on-air breakdown, stating, "It's easy for me to break down, after all, I did it in front of an entire nation."