I observed the hatred, I witnessed the wickedness.
On October 7, 2023, Alon Gat's life and his loved ones were irrevocably altered. Hamas terrorists seized his wife as a hostage to shield their daughter. On a Tuesday evening, he was a guest on Markus Lanz's talk show in Germany.
This October 7th, a day marked by celebrations of the Torah festival in Israel, transformed into a devastating ordeal for Alon Gat and countless other Israelis. Hamas militants attacked the southern region of Israel, causing havoc and taking approximately 240 hostages to the Gaza Strip. Among the hostages, his wife Yarden, the mother of his three-year-old daughter Geffen, and his sister Carmel. Shortly after, Alon Gat graced the ZDF talk show Markus Lanz, sharing his heart-wrenching tale, including the calamitous experience of his family, the harrowing shooting of his mother by terrorists on October 7, his sister's discovery in a tunnel four weeks later by Israeli troops, and the futile efforts to save her. Unfortunately, Carmel did not make it alive after barely surviving for two days.
The Terror in the Bunker
Alon Gat resides in Tel Aviv with his family, longing to shield his daughter Geffen from the never-ending terror posed by Hamas, who had been bombarding the south of Israel with rockets consistently for years. The kibbutz Alon Gat hails from stands adjacent to Gaza, allowing him a personal bond with many of its inhabitants. On the fateful weekend of the Hamas assault, he describes a desire to commemorate the festival in a joyful family gathering. The attack ensued on the evening of October 6, resulting in death and abduction of many.
Alon, his wife, and their little girl embarked on their usual family celebration. Tragically, they were awakened at 6:49 AM by an alarm signal. They immediately sought refuge in their bunker, where they remained for four hours. Panic ensued as the front door was breached by terrorists, who entered their home. Alon vividly recalls their ordeal, "When I realized that terrorists had invaded our home, I blacked out the lights to make it dark. I tried to hide Geffen, who was crying. We attempted to conceal her under the bed, but there wasn't enough space. We spread a blanket over her, and I positioned myself in front of the shelter's entrance to protect my daughter and my wife. I stood at the doorframe when the first terrorist appeared."
Alon was bundled up and dragged into a vehicle by two terrorists, who assaulted him throughout their journey. Somehow, he managed to believe that his wife and daughter had been spared from the terrorists' wrath. However, his belief was shattered when they reunited with his family in the vehicle. Terrorists seized his wife and daughter, sending them back to the car with their distressed father. They cruised towards Gaza.
Barely evading capture at the border, Alon and his family disembarked from the car, dashed into the woods, and managed to escape. Miraculously, Alon managed to free himself from his restraints. Their goal was to secure a hiding spot for their loved ones. However, terrorists opened fire, causing them to abort their plan. Prioritizing his daughter's safety, Alon gave his wife Yarden the daughter she was carrying and urged them to flee. Yarden, a remarkable woman, made a courageous decision, determined to ensure the safety of her husband and their daughter. Unfortunately, she did not escape the clutches of the Hamas terrorists.
Meanwhile, Alon and his daughter sought refuge in an earth pit for eight hours. Geffen remained incredibly quiet during their ordeal, only expressing her concern over their lack of water once.
After the proper hour, Alon and his daughter departed the hideaway and embarked on their eight-kilometer trek back to the kibbutz. Alon walked barefoot, his only solace being a pair of socks he retrieved along the way. When he arrived at the kibbutz, he heard that terrorists remained in the area, still bedeviling the village with gunfire. The following morning, he achieved entry into the devastated village.
Alon began to recount the horrid circumstances of October 7th to Markus Lanz. "Visualize this nightmare: Your safe haven, then you hear rockets, then terrorists violate your sanctuary, taking lives in front of your very eyes. That was the awful reality on October 7th," he explained. "I witnessed it all firsthand. I saw the animosity. I saw the malevolence."
Yarden was eventually released after Hamas and Israel negotiated an exchange for the hostages, bringing an end to the ordeal that had lasted over a month and a half. "I was reunited with Yarden again, amongst a hundred rescued individuals, shattered and traumatized by their torment, rape, and brutalization," Alon stated. "I am grateful to have my wife back, and for Geffen to have her mother. However, I cannot help but wish the same comforting reunion for the other hostages, including my sister."
Alon articulated that his family's lives would never regain a semblance of normalcy. The painful memory of the terror they faced on October 7, 2023, would forever haunt them.
After chatting with Alon Gat, Markus Lanz ponders if it's still feasible to live an ordinary life following such events. He shares his perspective: "Personally, I haven't had a typical existence for more than a year now. The terror continues, and it's affecting my friends, neighbors, fellow kibbutz residents - they're all in the hands of Hamas. How can I live a normal life under these circumstances?" His plea: "It's crucial that we liberate these blameless people first. Then, we should eradicate these terrorists and establish a more peaceful existence in the area. Only then can we attempt to return to our normal lives."
Following the harrowing experience, Alon Gat returned to ZDF's Markus Lanz talk show to discuss his ordeal, expressing his continued fear for his daughter's safety due to Hamas's hostage-taking of his wife Yarden and daughter Geffen.
During the interview, Alon spoke of his resilience and the strength of his family, emphasizing the importance of bringing an end to terrorism and ensuring the safe return of all hostages, including his sister Carmel, who did not survive.
