A couple was taken hostage by armed attackers from the Gaza Strip in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim. Only after 3 p.m. did security forces storm the apartment and free David and Rachel. The two also owe their survival to the presence of mind of the woman who bought them time by offering the terrorists coffee and cookies.
As part of Hamas’s massive attack on Saturday morning, five armed men climbed through a window into the two Israelis’ apartment and took them hostage. “They came to kill,” husband David told Israeli TV channel Reshet 13. The terrorists did not beat him and his wife Rachel, but told them they would become ‘martyrs’.
First a shootout, then negotiations
“I told my husband, ‘If we die, we will die together,'” Rachel told the station. When Israeli security forces arrived in Ofakim on Saturday, a firefight broke out. A Palestinian fighter was shot dead. Initially, the Israeli units wanted to throw a hand grenade into the building to kill the terrorists. When it became clear that the couple was still alive, negotiations began.
The gunmen demanded water, food and bandages for one of the men who had been injured earlier. They also asked for a cell phone, but this request was denied, said Police Chief Inspector Arkady Schuster, according to the Times of Israel.
“My wife drove her crazy”
“I could see they were getting angry,” Rachel told Reshet 13. “I asked if they were hungry and brought them coffee and cookies. His wife had the terrorists”crazy,” her husband David said, smiling. “She kept asking if they wanted anything else.”
While his wife held back the terrorists inside, who even started singing Israeli pop songs, security forces outside prepared an attempt to free him. Among the police officers was Evyatar, one of David and Rachel’s sons. He provided valuable information with the exact description of the apartment.
Hand grenade held above the head
As the negotiations continued, there were tense moments: one of the terrorists held a hand grenade, from which he had removed the safety pin, above her head. When the gunmen realized that Rachel had made a gesture to reveal her number to the police, the men continued to intimidate her.
On Sunday evening, security forces finally stormed the apartment: they entered through a hatch in the bathroom, which the son of the police officer of the two Israelis had told them about. The couple was freed from the hostage takers. The two escaped with minor injuries during the shootout. “We were very close to the terrorists, but we were rescued,” Rachel said. “I thank God I’m still alive, I couldn’t believe it!”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
