ZAKA Volunteers Recount Unprecedented Horrors of October 7th
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
ZAKA volunteers from Ashkelon have shared their deeply traumatic experiences from October 7th, describing the unprecedented horrors they encountered while recovering bodies. Rabbi Meir Buskila, Tzvi Ezra, Avshalom Yaacobi, and Moti Shuv recounted scenes of extreme violence and the immense responsibility of ensuring dignified burials for all victims. The volunteers worked for months, processing bodies at hospitals, collecting them from massacre sites like the Nova festival and kibbutzim, and handling personal effects. They spoke of the psychological toll and the unwavering commitment to their mission despite the unimaginable suffering.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- ZAKA Ashkelon volunteers described entering unprecedented massacre sites on October 7th to recover bodies.
- Rabbi Meir Buskila called the situation a "nightmare with no precedent in the country's history."
- Tzvi Ezra witnessed severe abuse and dismemberment of victims, stating he had never been so shocked.
- Paramedic Moti Shuv helped evacuate 266 bodies from the Nova music festival site.
- Volunteers worked for months to ensure every victim was recovered and given a proper burial.
- The volunteers spoke of the profound psychological impact of the scenes they encountered.
Three years after the events of October 7, 2023, ZAKA (Israel's national volunteer emergency response organization) volunteers from Ashkelon are sharing their harrowing experiences. Members of the ZAKA Ashkelon team, including Rabbi Meir Buskila, Tzvi Ezra, Avshalom Yaacobi, and paramedic Moti Shuv, described entering massacre sites to ensure no victim was left without a proper burial. Rabbi Buskila, the team leader, recounted receiving a call around 1 p.m. on October 7th to assist in retrieving bodies of soldiers near Zikim. He described the realization that they were entering an unprecedented nightmare, with battlefields transforming into private homes. He spoke of the unimaginable cruelty inflicted upon entire families, children, and the elderly, and the profound responsibility felt to honor the dead under fire. Tzvi Ezra, deputy head of the Ashkelon team, described the shocking scenes at Barzilai Hospital, where he was assigned to process bodies. He recounted witnessing severe abuse and dismemberment of victims, regardless of religion, gender, race, or age. Ezra also shared a deeply personal moment when he identified the body of a police officer from Sderot, the daughter of his mother's friend, while working at the Sderot police station. Avshalom Yaacobi, an Ashkelon city council member, described the immense bravery displayed by Israelis and his own departure to volunteer with ZAKA, with his son joining the military. He recounted the process of collecting and preparing bodies for burial, often accompanied by prayers, and the difficulty of handling personal effects like blood-soaked phones. Nati Shahaf, another ZAKA volunteer, spoke of the months-long effort to ensure "not a drop of blood was left behind," working tirelessly in burnt homes and destroyed streets. He acknowledged the immense psychological toll, recognizing when a situation was too overwhelming to handle.
Paramedic Moti Shuv and his wife Netta evacuated a pregnant woman on the morning of October 7th. Upon arriving at Barzilai Hospital, they encountered a pickup truck loaded with bodies, which they helped transfer to the pathology institute. Shuv also described the grim task of collecting bodies from the Nova music festival site, where they evacuated 266 bodies overnight, and later from Kibbutz Be'eri and other locations. He recalled the constant ringing of victims' mobile phones, with parents searching for their children, emphasizing the profound impact of these scenes but also the clear understanding of the mission's importance.
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