Photographer Revisits Iconic Image of Grief and Resilience Three Years After October 7
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Three years after the October 7th attacks, Lieutenant Colonel Natanel, Sergeant First Class (Res.) Yair Ansbacher, and photographer Ziv Koren revisited the site of an iconic photograph in Kfar Aza. The image, taken on October 9, 2023, depicts Yair weeping while supported by Natanel in front of a destroyed holiday table. The soldiers recounted their experiences during the initial combat and the emotional impact of the scene, which Koren captured and believes became a powerful symbol of the events.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Lt. Col. Natanel, Sgt. First Class (Res.) Yair Ansbacher, and photographer Ziv Koren revisited a Kfar Aza home three years after the October 7th attacks.
- The visit centered on an iconic photo taken October 9, 2023, of Yair weeping on Natanel's shoulder amid destruction.
- The soldiers described the intense combat and emotional toll they experienced during the initial Hamas assault.
- Photographer Ziv Koren stated, "everyone cried there," calling the moment captured a "breaking."
- Koren believes the image became a symbol for its emotional resonance with viewers.
- The three reunited at the home to recall the events that led to the photograph.
Three years after the October 7th Hamas attacks, Lieutenant Colonel Natanel and Sergeant First Class (Res.) Yair Ansbacher, along with photographer Ziv Koren, returned to the destroyed home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza where an iconic photograph was taken. The image, captured on October 9, 2023, shows Yair weeping with his head on Natanel's shoulder, in front of a ravaged holiday table.
Natanel, then Head of LOTAR's Anti-Terrorism Department, had just returned from a military delegation in the U.S. when he was called to action on October 7th. Yair, a security researcher, also immediately joined the fight, leaving his wife and five children. They were attached to a LOTAR unit and participated in intense combat, including defending residents in Nir Yitzhak and mourning the loss of their former commander, Lt. Col. Eli Ginsberg, and three other soldiers.
Photographer Ziv Koren joined the LOTAR force for the first time on October 9th, documenting the devastation. Entering Kfar Aza, they encountered ongoing combat, scattered bodies, and widespread destruction. Inside Rachel Cohen's home, they found remnants of a holiday meal, including challah bread, amidst the destruction.
It was in this setting that Koren captured the poignant image of Yair and Natanel. "We saw destruction. I didn't even know Ziv photographed it," Yair recalled, emphasizing their humanity beyond their uniforms. Natanel described their bond as forged in the crucible of combat. Koren noted that "everyone cried there," calling it a moment of "breaking."
Koren believes the photograph became a symbol because it evokes deep emotion, showing soldiers breaking down before a holiday table after days of fighting. The three reunited at the house, recalling different details of the scene. Koren, who has visited the kibbutzim dozens of times since October 7th, expressed his emotion at returning with them to the moment that became a symbol.
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