Noralin Babadilla

Freed November 28, 2023

Noralin "Nataly" Babadila's ordeal during her captivity by Hamas terrorists after the attack on Kibbutz Nirim on October 7 is a chilling narrative of survival amidst harrowing conditions. The day that began with plans for a serene barbecue with friends spiraled into a nightmare when rocket sirens and gunfire shattered the peace, leading to her husband Gideon's departure to investigate the chaos outside, never to return to her side.

Noralin's desperate attempts to seek safety within her friend's apartment ended in her capture. The apartment was set ablaze, and as the shelter filled with smoke "I jumped from the window straight into the hands of the terrorists, who stood there with their guns drawn," she recalls. Her account of the moments that followed, fraught with the fear of death and the grim sight of being loaded into a truck with the bodies of murdered Israelis, underscores the brutality of the terrorists' actions. "They loaded the bodies of murdered Israelis in the back, piled them in the rear seat, and on the car's roof," she said.

Held in a hideout in Gaza alongside other kidnapped women, Noralin faced days filled with darkness, fear, and deprivation, with minimal sustenance and the constant threat of violence looming over her. The psychological torment was compounded by the physical conditions of their captivity, with no access to basic hygiene or comfort.

The move to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis marked a slight improvement in their conditions but brought new faces into Noralin's circle of fellow captives, creating a makeshift community bound by shared suffering. The separation of a family during their captivity, particularly the heart-wrenching moment when David Cunio was taken away from his family prior to their release, highlights the cruel manipulations and emotional toll inflicted by the captors.

Noralin's release on November 29, amidst chaotic and terrifying circumstances, brought a brief moment of relief that was quickly overshadowed by the devastating news of her husband Gideon's murder on the day of the attack. The support she found in her friend Tess, who also suffered the loss of her husband and daughter, underscores the indomitable spirit of those who endure such trials and the bonds forged in the darkest of times.