Seventeen long hours. That’s how long Rachel Edri sat in her own living room, directly opposite five Hamas terrorists. It could easily have been her last day: so many people were murdered that day in similar circumstances. But she’s still alive. Rachel Edri managed to keep the terrorists in her house entertained by talking to them and stuffing them with cookies and tea. For seventeen hours. Until they were shot down by the Israeli security forces.
ADN
Latest update: 12:54
Source: AP, The New York Times, Ynet, ABC News
It should come as no surprise that 65-year-old Rachel Edri has become a true folk heroine in Israel. Yesterday, the grandmother even received a hug from US President Joe Biden, who praised her for her courage. Everyone is impressed by the courage this woman has shown.
Air raid siren
Back to Saturday, October 7, the day of the large-scale surprise attack by terrorist group Hamas in Israel. Rachel Edri, who normally works in the canteen at the Israeli army base at Tze’elim and is affectionately known there as ‘the mother of the soldiers’, is on her way home to her hometown of Ofakim, about 40 kilometers from Gaza. She returns from an air raid shelter with her husband David (68) after an air raid siren in the early morning. What they don’t know is that at that moment several Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip broke through the heavily fortified separation wall with Israel and invaded Ofakim and more than twenty other border communities.
When Rachel enters her house, her breath catches: a group of Hamas fighters are sitting in her living room. And then Rachel and her husband become embroiled in an hours-long tête-à-tête with the terrorists.
Grenade next to her head
“I first thought about fleeing, but I knew they would shoot me immediately,” Rachel Edri told the Israeli news site ‘Ynet’. “And so we did what they told us. They took our phones and broke them. They opened cupboards, threw things out. Then they saw a police uniform of my son Evyatar. They started shouting, ‘Where are your children?!’ I lied and said they were in the United States.”
At one point, one of the terrorists grabs her by the neck and holds a grenade in the other hand, close to her head. He threatens to blow her and everyone in the room up.
That morning, a total of three groups of Hamas fighters passed through Ofakim and opened fire on civilians. Both civilians and police officers managed to shoot terrorists dead. After several hours of fighting, only the five inside with Rachel were still alive. The police outside realized that a brazen raid could lead to the couple’s death. And so they had to proceed quietly.
Homemade cookies
Rachel knew that in the meantime she had to keep the Hamas militants as calm as possible. She has no choice but to remain calm, even after one of the terrorists hits her in the face with the butt of his gun. Rachel soothes him and does what she always does when there are guests: she offers everyone food and drinks.
I knew: if they are hungry, they will be more aggressive.
She serves the Hamas militants canned pineapple, tea and her homemade Moroccan cookies. She offers the men water, coffee and Coca-Cola Zero. They prefer regular Coca-Cola. Later she cooks lunch. She buys time – cooks time. “I knew: if they are hungry, they will be more aggressive,” Rachel explained her actions to Israeli media.
The couple also occasionally spoke to the terrorists. “One of them said I reminded him of his mother. I replied, ‘I am also like your mother. I will help you, take care of you. What do you need?'”
The gentle approach works. “After they drank and ate, they became much calmer,” the Israeli said. It even jokes: “I will teach you Hebrew and you will teach me Arabic.” Rachel sings Arabic songs to the Hamas fighters, they respond with Hebrew songs.
The Israeli remains focused. At one point she runs her hand in front of a window as subtly as possible in front of her face. She holds up five fingers for the police: there are five hostage takers inside.
The authorities are now setting up a rescue operation in the background. By the way, this happens with the help of son Evyatar. The local police officer can, among other things, give the rescue team a sketch of his parents’ house, which could lead to a surprise raid.
Seventeen hours after the start of the ordeal, the security forces finally invade. 68-year-old David throws himself on his wife to protect her from the bullets. All five Hamas militants in the house are shot dead. The Edri’s house is a battlefield. Blood, dust, glass and bullet holes everywhere. But Rachel Edri and her husband are free. They live.
At least 48 residents of Ofakim died that day, in their own homes and on the streets. A group of civilians still fought with weapons against Hamas fighters and managed to shoot several attackers dead. “They fought like lions here,” testifies Yoni Shalem, a man who lives down the street from Rachel.
But there was also more subtle resistance, with snacks and tea. In Israeli media, Rachel is referred to as the “perfect Jewish mother,” a nod to the stereotype of the hospitable, generous Jewish woman who fills her guests with food. Above all, she is praised for her courage and calmness.
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