Gali Berman

As Hamas began their attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7th, Gali Berman was assisting a neighbor in this farming community near Gaza, trying to stay safe amid the confusion caused by the attack.

Gali's twin brother Ziv also lived on the kibbutz, and was inside the house. Ziv's friend, Noa Reuveni was in contact with him via WhatsApp during the attack. Ziv, hearing Arabic from outside, expressed his fear to Noa, and she reassured him that Israeli military forces were on the way. She urged him to stay quiet and locked in his room.

Tragically, the last message Noa sent to Ziv, "I'm with you," has not received a reply, and no one has heard from Ziv or Gali since that moment. Ultimately the Israeli military informed family and friends that his twin Gali and Ziv were being held hostage in Gaza.

Gali's mother Talia, disabled father Doron, and older brother Idan managed to escape and were rescued by the Israeli military. Gali's other older brother Liran was with his wife at their home, approximately 90 miles north of Kfar Aza.

Gali and Ziv's house was burned down by the Hamas terrorists during the attack, and the village suffered significant casualties, including the murder of several dozen babies and children. On the same day, Hamas launched attacks on other sites in Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 people and sparking a regional conflict.