TEL HASHOMER, Israel (Reuters) – In a harrowing ordeal, 13-year-old Hadar Bachar became the coordinator of her family’s fight for survival during a Hamas attack on their Israeli border village. The Bachar family took refuge in a “safe room” designed to protect them from rocket barrages from Gaza, but Hamas militants turned it into a death trap.
The attackers first fired through the door, seriously injuring Hadar’s father and brother. Eventually, they used explosives to rupture the reinforced window and shot Hadar’s mother through the gap. In the midst of chaos, Hadar stepped up to care for the wounded and sought help using her mobile phone and her parents’ phones. However, emergency services took hours to reach their home in Kibbutz Beeri.
Hadar’s father, Avida, expressed both pride and horror at his daughter’s actions, describing how she managed three phones simultaneously while running an operations room. Through WhatsApp groups, the Bachars received real-time updates of Hamas’ house-to-house killing spree, which reinforced their decision to remain hidden.
Tragically, it was too late for Dana, Hadar’s mother. She could only be attended to by her daughter, who followed instructions from medics over the phone. Hadar performed CPR but sadly, her mother did not survive.
Neighbours’ frantic text warnings alerted the Bachars to the next phase of the attack. The militants attempted to force them out by setting fire to their safe room. They used a wardrobe and tires to create thick smoke, making it impossible to breathe inside. Hadar and her wounded brother desperately held the door, but eventually, they were forced to move away due to the intense heat and smoke.
Hadar found refuge closer to the mattresses and continued reaching out for help under a suitcase. Eventually, assistance arrived, but not before more than 100 residents of Beeri had been killed, including Hadar’s brother, Carmel.
Despite the devastation, Avida remains hopeful and determined to recover and rebuild. He acknowledges the extraordinary strength and composure shown by his daughter during the crisis, describing her as a superstar. He also expresses concern about the toll this experience has taken on her at such a young age.
The Bachar family’s story serves as a testament to the resilience and courage displayed by ordinary people in the face of unimaginable adversity.
