In the wee hours of three consecutive mornings, Eliana (64) rouses from slumber. It's around three o'clock each time. A haunting memory resurfaces - a video filmed October 7 in Sderot (Israel). The footage captures a small vehicle turning a traffic circle. A white Toyota, brimming with terrorists, emerges in the opposite lane. The small vehicle halts.
A man exits, limps towards the traffic circle, cradling a small child. A woman sprints away with another child in the opposite direction. A second Toyota gains speed, and a shot rings out. A puppy dashes from frame. In conclusion, the little child returns to the car.
Three weeks afterward, Romi (6), a girl with gentle black eyes, visits her grandmother Eliana. Tears stream down Romi's face. Despite this, she attempts to comfort her grandmother, inquiring, "Why are you crying, Grandma?" She feigns a smile, responding, "Because I'm happy."
A second video reveals their family car stationed in front of the Sderot police station. Israelis and Hamas militants engage in gunfire. At some point, an Israeli retrieves the small child and safeguards her.
The orphans and the grandmother
Dolev Suissa (34), Hodia Suissa (33), and their two children sought to utilize the car for escape. Dolev was carrying his daughter Lia (3) in the video taken at the traffic circle, while Hodia held Romi (6) in the background.
The two children are now orphans. Following the Hamas assault on Sderot, Eliana Hershteyn relocated the young ones to a hotel. She recalls the harrowing morning: "My son Dolev's leg was shattered in a work accident. As a result, he couldn't sprint swiftly. He sheltered Lia with his body."
When the terrorists had departed and Lia noticed that her bleeding father no longer responded, she returned to the car. "Dad was filthy," Lia recounted later.
Their mother, Romi, and an ally remained hidden in the vehicle. A Bedouin-Israeli construction worker suggested they all venture to the police station for help. However, there too, Hamas militants seized control. The little ones hid in the back seat while gunfire erupted around them. Elite Israeli fighters eventually rescued them.
The grandmother, holocaust survivor
“It all unfolded before her eyes,” Eliana laments. When the elder child is near her, she smiles, shielding her grandmother. In turn, Eliana offers protection, preserving an intimate bond.
Eliana remembers warning her son not to leave their home that fateful morning since terrorists had attacked the city. He failed to phone her because he was preparing to flee from the rockets. Eliana was hopeful when Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005. She believed the Palestinians would thrive in the newly found space.
However, Eliana is overcome with anger and tears now. Her children and 1400 others were taken by the terrorists. Women's wombs were violated. Their heads were severed. "Why?" Eliana sobs.
She musters strength, praying every day for her granddaughters, who are now orphans, and her surviving children. Her three-legged dog, Simba, miraculously returned. The special moment brought joy to the girls.
Shell casings remain
On the traffic circle, the bullets' remnants from the terrorist's Kalashnikov remain. Dolev's blood has dried on his yard's opposite edge.
A hill opposite his home offers views into the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes’ sounds fill the air as they strike back against Hamas. The innocents’ suffering surmounts there too.
The controversy of condemnation
“I'm certain some are repulsed by these brutal acts," Eliana reflects. "However, it saddens me that there wasn't a significant condemnation from Muslims for this assault. Conversely, massive Hamas demonstrations took place.”
Eliana frequents international news, seeking updates on Sderot and its surrounding area. Her hopes for good news pertaining to her family remain. Despite the heartwrenching events, Eliana remains hopeful and prays for her loved ones' safety and wellbeing.
Recently, Eliana has grown increasingly concerned about children's security worldwide, not solely those in Sderot. Encouraging stronger international initiatives for peace and shielding vulnerable communities from the detrimental effects of war becomes her advocacy.
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