"At night I'm left alone, and the thoughts chase me. When I go to sleep I ask the Creator of the Universe: 'Let me think only of the miracles'"
Three years after October 7, Rachel Edri, the heroine of Ofakim who outwitted terrorists in her home for 20 hours, speaks about the heavy loss of her husband David, who died four months after the massacre, about the longing, the repression, and the difficult nights. In an interview for the "Where Are They Today" project, she relives the moments of terror, tells of the strength she drew from her children, and asks to think only of the miracles.
Three years after the October 7 massacre, Rachel Edri, who became a national symbol of resourcefulness and heroism after outwitting terrorists in her home in Ofakim for about 20 hours, reveals the tragic side of her story. In an extensive interview as part of the "Where Are They Today" project by ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, she speaks about the heavy loss of her husband David, who died four months after the event and was unable to recover from the trauma. "David was in shock," she recalls, describing how the terrorists put a gun to his head and told him he would not live until morning. Rachel describes the difficult nights when she is left alone, the intense longing for David who was her "partner in life," and repression as a coping mechanism. She repeatedly uses the word "miracles" and says that every night she asks the Creator of the Universe to think only of them. Alongside the pain, she relives the moments of terror in the house, including the moment she went out to see her son Eviatar, a police officer who was among the forces outside the house, while a grenade was attached to her. She speaks about the inner strength that helped her survive, the humor that surrounded her story, and the anger over the failure that she mostly keeps inside.