'I didn't have any fear': One man's story of rescuing hundreds during the Hamas attack
On October 7, Rami Davidian heroically saved 750 lives, yet he continues to feel guilt for not doing more. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
**Rami Davidian saved 750 lives on October 7 but keeps blaming himself for not rescuing more**
The Nova party, held near Kibbutz Reim just over 5 kilometers from the Gaza border, was intended to be a vibrant celebration but quickly transformed into a deadly scene for the 3,000 attendees. A year prior, more than 300 Israelis had lost their lives in a similar event. However, many survived the chaos on October 7, 2023, thanks to the quick actions of one man, Rami Davidian.
Rami, a 59-year-old father of four from Moshav Patish, awoke early that day to attend synagogue for the Simchat Torah holiday. He had no inkling that the day would take a dramatically different turn.
“At 6.30am [local] sirens started going off,” he recounted, noting that these alarms traditionally warn residents of incoming rocket fire from Gaza, prompting them to seek shelter.
“Unlike previous times, they wouldn’t stop, and that was unusual. Then a friend of mine called and asked me to go and help to rescue his son, who was stuck at the Nova party. I told my wife I’d be back in five minutes, took my car and started moving in that direction,” he recalled.
On that tragic weekend, around 3,000 mainly young people gathered at the Nova party to enjoy music and socialize. However, the infiltration of thousands of Hamas militants abruptly disrupted their plans. Over 300 partygoers were shot dead, with more than 250 taken hostage and many others left wounded or traumatized, frantically seeking escape.
The situation was dire, as escape routes were largely blocked. Hamas had meticulously planned the attack, effectively cutting off all access points. Anyone trying to flee via the usual paths faced immediate gunfire, leaving escape attempts perilous.
As Davidian made his way to the event, he began noticing signs of chaos. “On my way, I noticed a bicycle and next to it a cut-off hand. Some 800 meters away from there, I saw a tender with two dead people inside… I looked around and saw people in uniform, heard shots and the thought that crossed my mind was that the IDF was holding an exercise. So I decided to leave those dead people in the tender and moved on towards the direction of the farm where the son of my friend was believed to be hiding,” he described.
Progressing further, he tuned into the radio, realizing the full scope of the situation: Israel was under attack from Hamas militants and casualties were mounting.
Davidian knew that he had to step in.
“On my way there, I was stopped by people who begged for help. I acted on auto-pilot,” he said. “Back then I didn’t have any fear. All I wanted was to get as many people out as possible.”
Being a lifelong resident of the area, Davidian was well-acquainted with the landscape, escape paths, and potential danger zones. His familiarity with maps and reconnaissance of Hamas's positions proved invaluable.
For 48 hours, he tirelessly transported people to safety, his phone buzzing with calls for help and geolocation requests, as survivors shared his number.
“One of the most memorable events for me was the encounter with Amit, a young girl who went to have fun at Nova,” Davidian said.
Amit sent him her location, but finding her was complicated. They agreed on a plan where he would honk his horn while she indicated proximity. Tragically, when he located her, she was not alone.
“Amit was surrounded by five terrorists. I looked at her and understood she lost faith to get out of there alive.”
Yet, Davidian maintained hope. Using his Arabic skills, developed over 17 years of interacting with Palestinian workers, he convinced the militants that he too was one of them. Amit was ultimately released and safely evacuated.
Davidian saved approximately 750 lives that day, primarily young people. He also aided security forces, managing the horrific aftermath by sorting bodies to clear paths for tanks.
His actions earned him the status of a national hero, culminating in a torch lighting ceremony on the eve of Israel's 76th independence anniversary—a high honor reflecting his bravery.
However, Davidian struggles with feelings of guilt.
“Not a single day passes that I don’t feel pangs of conscience. I am thinking of all those missed opportunities, of all those whom I reached too late, of all those I have left behind. I have seen terrible scenes: bodies hanging from the trees, men and women shot in their heads, and I always feel that I could have saved more lives.”
He regularly visits a psychologist and takes antidepressants, coming to terms with the fact that he may never return to his former self. The haunting memories of that catastrophic day weigh heavily on him—the day that was meant to celebrate youth, freedom, and vitality.
On October 7, 2023, approximately 3,000 Hamas militants, supported by civilians, descended upon southern Israeli communities, resulting in over 1,200 fatalities. Hundreds of foreign nationals were also killed, while thousands were injured, and 252 individuals were taken hostage to Gaza, with 101 still unaccounted for and at least thirty believed dead.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
The Nova party, held near Kibbutz Reim just over 5 kilometers from the Gaza border, was intended to be a vibrant celebration but quickly transformed into a deadly scene for the 3,000 attendees. A year prior, more than 300 Israelis had lost their lives in a similar event. However, many survived the chaos on October 7, 2023, thanks to the quick actions of one man, Rami Davidian.
Rami, a 59-year-old father of four from Moshav Patish, awoke early that day to attend synagogue for the Simchat Torah holiday. He had no inkling that the day would take a dramatically different turn.
“At 6.30am [local] sirens started going off,” he recounted, noting that these alarms traditionally warn residents of incoming rocket fire from Gaza, prompting them to seek shelter.
“Unlike previous times, they wouldn’t stop, and that was unusual. Then a friend of mine called and asked me to go and help to rescue his son, who was stuck at the Nova party. I told my wife I’d be back in five minutes, took my car and started moving in that direction,” he recalled.
On that tragic weekend, around 3,000 mainly young people gathered at the Nova party to enjoy music and socialize. However, the infiltration of thousands of Hamas militants abruptly disrupted their plans. Over 300 partygoers were shot dead, with more than 250 taken hostage and many others left wounded or traumatized, frantically seeking escape.
The situation was dire, as escape routes were largely blocked. Hamas had meticulously planned the attack, effectively cutting off all access points. Anyone trying to flee via the usual paths faced immediate gunfire, leaving escape attempts perilous.
As Davidian made his way to the event, he began noticing signs of chaos. “On my way, I noticed a bicycle and next to it a cut-off hand. Some 800 meters away from there, I saw a tender with two dead people inside… I looked around and saw people in uniform, heard shots and the thought that crossed my mind was that the IDF was holding an exercise. So I decided to leave those dead people in the tender and moved on towards the direction of the farm where the son of my friend was believed to be hiding,” he described.
Progressing further, he tuned into the radio, realizing the full scope of the situation: Israel was under attack from Hamas militants and casualties were mounting.
Davidian knew that he had to step in.
“On my way there, I was stopped by people who begged for help. I acted on auto-pilot,” he said. “Back then I didn’t have any fear. All I wanted was to get as many people out as possible.”
Being a lifelong resident of the area, Davidian was well-acquainted with the landscape, escape paths, and potential danger zones. His familiarity with maps and reconnaissance of Hamas's positions proved invaluable.
For 48 hours, he tirelessly transported people to safety, his phone buzzing with calls for help and geolocation requests, as survivors shared his number.
“One of the most memorable events for me was the encounter with Amit, a young girl who went to have fun at Nova,” Davidian said.
Amit sent him her location, but finding her was complicated. They agreed on a plan where he would honk his horn while she indicated proximity. Tragically, when he located her, she was not alone.
“Amit was surrounded by five terrorists. I looked at her and understood she lost faith to get out of there alive.”
Yet, Davidian maintained hope. Using his Arabic skills, developed over 17 years of interacting with Palestinian workers, he convinced the militants that he too was one of them. Amit was ultimately released and safely evacuated.
Davidian saved approximately 750 lives that day, primarily young people. He also aided security forces, managing the horrific aftermath by sorting bodies to clear paths for tanks.
His actions earned him the status of a national hero, culminating in a torch lighting ceremony on the eve of Israel's 76th independence anniversary—a high honor reflecting his bravery.
However, Davidian struggles with feelings of guilt.
“Not a single day passes that I don’t feel pangs of conscience. I am thinking of all those missed opportunities, of all those whom I reached too late, of all those I have left behind. I have seen terrible scenes: bodies hanging from the trees, men and women shot in their heads, and I always feel that I could have saved more lives.”
He regularly visits a psychologist and takes antidepressants, coming to terms with the fact that he may never return to his former self. The haunting memories of that catastrophic day weigh heavily on him—the day that was meant to celebrate youth, freedom, and vitality.
On October 7, 2023, approximately 3,000 Hamas militants, supported by civilians, descended upon southern Israeli communities, resulting in over 1,200 fatalities. Hundreds of foreign nationals were also killed, while thousands were injured, and 252 individuals were taken hostage to Gaza, with 101 still unaccounted for and at least thirty believed dead.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
