Kfar Aza Resident Recounts Harrowing Oct. 7 Survival Story
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
Kibbutz Kfar Aza resident Avishai Arjentaro recounted his family's survival on October 7, 2023, when they were trapped in their safe room for over 23 hours amidst a Hamas attack. He described realizing the severity of the situation through gunfire and realizing it wasn't the IDF. Key factors in their survival included a canceled trip, their son returning home, and improvised barricades. Arjentaro's parents also survived 36 hours in their mamad. The attack devastated the kibbutz, and while many residents are displaced, Arjentaro hopes to return and rebuild.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Avishai Arjentaro and his family survived over 23 hours in a safe room during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
- Arjentaro realized the attack was not from the IDF upon hearing gunfire and grabbed a large kitchen knife for defense.
- His parents survived 36 hours in their safe room after terrorists occupied their home.
- Several coincidences, including a canceled trip and his son returning home, contributed to the family's survival.
- The attack destroyed the kibbutz structure, displacing many residents.
- Arjentaro aims to return to Kfar Aza to rebuild and open a restaurant as a form of resistance.
Avishai Arjentaro, a resident of Kibbutz Kfar Aza near the Gaza border, described his family's harrowing experience on October 7, 2023. The day began with a familiar rocket siren, prompting Arjentaro, his wife, and their two young children to retreat to their safe room, or 'mamad'. However, the prolonged siren, lasting 45 minutes, signaled an unprecedented event. Arjentaro, a chef whose family has lived in Israel for 12 generations, found himself trapped, trying to understand the unfolding catastrophe while worrying about his parents and the entire kibbutz.
Several seemingly small decisions and coincidences played a crucial role in their survival. Arjentaro's wife had canceled a planned trip north, and their elder son, Negev, unexpectedly returned home from his grandparents' the night before. A wooden block his father used to secure his own mamad door and Arjentaro's own departure from the local security team a year prior due to PTSD were also cited as potentially life-saving factors.
Arjentaro realized the gravity of the situation when he heard gunfire and recognized it was not from the Israeli military. He rushed back home, grabbing the largest knife he could find as firearms were not permitted in his home and he was no longer part of the security team. Upon returning to the mamad, he saw messages in kibbutz WhatsApp groups reporting terrorists inside the community. His parents also messaged him, stating terrorists were in their home, and they had barricaded themselves in their mamad.
Arjentaro faced a difficult choice between seeking weapons to help defend the kibbutz, going to his parents' aid, or staying to protect his wife and children. He recounted leaving the mamad every three hours to prepare food for his infant son, encountering terrorists armed with grenade launchers just outside his home. His wife ultimately prevented him from leaving to help others, prioritizing their children's safety. The family spent over 23 hours in the mamad before they could safely evacuate Kfar Aza amidst ongoing gunfire and the sight of casualties.
Arjentaro also learned that his parents survived by barricading themselves in their mamad for approximately 36 hours, with terrorists occupying their home. He noted that the terrorists seemed to have intimate knowledge of the kibbutz layout, using homes as bases. His mother, who speaks Arabic, overheard them discussing resting and recovering. Arjentaro believes the presence of a baby crib in his parents' living room may have deterred the terrorists from firing into their home. He emphasized that the 'mamads' were designed for rocket protection, not prolonged defense against armed intruders, and that his father's improvised barricade was crucial.
Following the attack, the kibbutz structure was shattered, with residents dispersed. Arjentaro, whose own home was destroyed, expresses a desire to return, rebuild, and open a restaurant using local produce, viewing his culinary skills as a form of resistance and a way to tell the story of the region. His parents are also dealing with the aftermath, with his mother suffering psychological trauma and his father experiencing mobility issues.
