The Roadside Shelters of October 7th
At dawn on October 7, the first rockets fell on the Nova festival, silencing the music and sending hundreds fleeing along Route 232. Fortified roadside shelters – built to protect from rocket fire – became the only hope for many. Dozens crammed inside these concrete rooms, believing they had found safety. Within minutes, armed terrorist squads poured across the border, taking control of the road and surrounding communities. Nine shelters along the route became death traps: grenades and gunfire tore through the crowds inside, executions were carried out at point-blank range, and some victims were abducted. In these attacks, approximately 87 civilians were murdered and only a handful survived to tell what happened in those rooms.
The videos that follow bear witness to five of these shelters, each a story of terror, courage, and unimaginable loss.
Defenseless and innocent people sought refuge
believing they were safe.
But instead, terrorists infiltrated and massacred them.
"Blue Bird" Megunit
Twenty people sought refuge in the small “Blue Bird” shelter near Kibbutz Re’im, unaware that more than twenty armed terrorists were closing in. What followed were hours of relentless grenades, point-blank gunfire, and chilling negotiations as victims pleaded for their lives. Aner, a Nahal fighter, caught and threw back grenades to protect others until an RPG struck, killing him instantly. When the terrorists finally stormed the shelter, they executed those who remained, taking Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Or Levi, Eliya Cohen and Alon Hotel.
By the end, sixteen were murdered, four kidnapped, and only seven emerged alive.
These are the names of those who were murdered:
Aner Shapiro
Amit Ben Avida
Karine Shwarcman
Tamar Samet
Laor Abramov
Nitzan Rahoum
Lidor Levy
Yoad Peer
Segev Israel Kizhner
Ayelet Arnin
Antonio Macias
Yvonne Rubio
Einav Elkaim Levy
Osama Abu Asa
Shani Koprowasser
Itay Benjo
Hersh was murdered in captivity.
Or, Eliya were released from captivity after one and a half years.
Alon still remains in captivity.
They were murdered outside of the Megunit :
Raz Bokovza
Roni Polvanov
Shaked Habani
THE “DOG“ MEGUNIT - Alumim and MEGUNIT MEFLASIM
“Hi Dad, I’m speaking with you from Mefalsim.
See how many people I have killed with my own hands.
Your son has killed Jews.
It’s in Mefalsim, Dad”.
In the “Dog“ Megunit, Yonatan, who shielded his partner and told his mother in a final call: “Take care of the siblings… I don’t know if I’ll make it back.”
These are the names of those who were murdered:
Izabella Gandlin
Yonatan Hay Azulay
Barak Davidi
Laurie Vardi
Sun Yakobov
Sharon Gordani
Itzik DahanCeline Ben David Nagar
Shlomi Davidovich
Adir Tamam
Shiraz-Shiran Yishmereni (Tamam)
The “Farmer“, “Garden Drawing“, “Horse“ and entrance to Re’im Meguniot
The first young people who traveled south along Route 232 and reached the Gama Junction encountered dozens of terrorists who had infiltrated Israeli territory from the Kisufim area and were moving through the junction, where three roadside shelters were located.
These are the names of those who were murdered:
Eden Abdulayev
Shani Ben Ami
Hanan Amer
Ofer Udi
Dan Ariel
Ron Shemer
Gal Navon
Joseph ‘ Sefi ‘ Genis
Limor Vaknin Permuter
Ilay Nachman
Matan Eckstein
Addir Masika
Anita Listman
Segev Shushan
The “Painting Path” Megunit
In the “Painting Path” Megunit, around a hundred terrorists swarmed the area. Forty innocent civilians were crammed inside, pressed so tightly together that no one could move. Grenades exploded at the entrance, gunfire echoed from every direction, and the air grew thick and suffocating. Hours dragged by in agony as bodies piled, blood and sweat mingled, and desperate thirst drove some to drink whatever liquid they could find. For many, the choice became unbearable – step outside and be shot, or remain inside and die slowly.
These are the names of those who were murdered:
Noy Aviv
Sigal Itach
Dean Nehorai Bar
Shahem Bar
Tal Bartik (Klein)
Liel Jarfi
Ronen Deitshman
Kim Damti
Idan Herman
Daniel Meir Vadai
Liel Weinstein
Noa Zander
Hadar Chashon
Shahem Yaakov
Shenhav Yaakov
Eden Naftali
Maya Poder
Noa Perj
Amit Cohen
Livnat Levi
Norel Manzuri
Roya Manzuri
Hanani Galor
Rotem Neiman
Hai Haim Tzafati
Eitan Rafael Shnir
Omer Wanaker was kidnapped.
The “Picture of Girl“ Megunit - Be’eri
At dawn, what began as dancing at the Nova festival turned into a fight for survival. Fleeing rocket fire, dozens crowded into a small blue-painted shelter. With no door to shield them, grenades and gunfire tore through the air as bodies fell, crushing the living beneath the dead. For seven hours, survivors played dead, endured multiple attacks, and clung to fragments of hope. Only nine walked out alive.
These are the names of those who were murdered:
Lotan Abir
Sophia Gonen
Ariel Biton
Gilad Ben Yehuda
Eden Ben Rubi
Eldad Bergman
Kim Dukarker
Dan Zomar
Alexandre Look
Raz Mizrahi
Adi Morgalit
Liraz Nisan
May Naim
Avi Sasi
Linor Keinan
Roni Shitrit
Orel Peso
These shelters still stand
Not as protection
But as witnesses to the lives stolen inside.
Music written, produced and performed by Aner