The Daily – Golan’s Story

Intro

In this episode of “The Daily,” fresh accounts have emerged in village after village of just how extreme and widespread the violence was in Israel’s deadliest day in its history. Golland Abitbol, a resident of the Kibbutz, shares his story of being at the epicenter of the violence. The Kibbutz, a quiet place surrounded by nature with a population of around 1,000 people, was heavily attacked during the conflict. Golland woke up to the sound of launching missiles and took his gun out for personal defense. He saw terrorists standing outside with RPGs and heavy machine guns, dressed as Israeli police officers, and knew something was off. Despite the fear, Golland set it aside to engage the enemy and protect his family and neighbors.

Main Takeaways

Accounts of Extreme Violence

• Fresh accounts have emerged in village after village of just how extreme and how widespread the violence was in Israel’s deadliest day in its history.
• Golland and his community were heavily attacked and experienced fear and danger during the conflict.

Golland’s Story

• Golland Abitbol, a resident of the Kibbutz, shares his story of being at the epicenter of the violence.
• Golland woke up to the sound of launching missiles and took his gun out for personal defense.
• Golland saw terrorists standing outside with RPGs and heavy machine guns and knew it was bad.
• Golland saw terrorists dressed as Israeli police officers and knew something was off.
• He texted his friend to warn them not to open the door, as he didn’t believe they were from the IDF.
• Golland felt fear but set it aside to engage the enemy and protect his family and neighbors.
• The attackers shot at the house from many positions, but Golland’s family was safe in the secure room.
• The attackers eventually left, but set the house on fire before doing so.

Loss and Uncertainty

• Golland and his community were taken out of their homes by the army at night and saw their kibbutz burned down.
• The soldiers protected them from terrorists, but they lost friends and family members.
• Members of the community read the names of the dead, including close friends and family.
• A friend’s son was taken by terrorists and they don’t know what happened to him.
• One out of ten of our community is dead and many more were taken by terrorists.
• The terrorists took babies, kids, and elderly people, including a friend’s mother who used to help transport children for dialysis in Israeli hospitals.
• The community donated money to people from Gaza who were their friends.
• The speaker is unsure of what to think now and has lost faith in negotiation as a solution.
• The speaker’s older children saw the bodies and their childhood is over, while the twins didn’t see anything but heard the shooting.
• Rebuilding the community after the attack by assigning people to different roles in the hotel.
• Uncertainty about the future and whether they will have a place to go back to.
• The attack has changed the speaker and their family forever.

International Concern and Political Chaos

• High death toll from the attack, including 25 Americans.
• Israel’s military ordered the population of Northern Gaza to relocate in 24 hours, causing concern from the UN.
• Chaos in the House of Representatives as Steve Scalise withdraws from consideration for the speakership and hard-line Republicans support Jim Jordan.

Summary

Accounts of Extreme Violence

Fresh accounts have emerged in village after village, revealing the extent of the extreme violence that occurred during Israel’s deadliest day in history. Golland Abitbol, a resident of the Kibbutz, experienced firsthand the fear and danger that swept through his community during the conflict.

Golland’s Story

Golland woke up to the sound of launching missiles and quickly realized the severity of the situation when he saw terrorists outside his home armed with RPGs and heavy machine guns. Recognizing that they were disguised as Israeli police officers, Golland contacted his friend to warn them not to open the door. Despite feeling fear, he bravely engaged the attackers to protect his family and neighbors. The attackers shot at his house from multiple positions, but fortunately, Golland’s family was safe in a secure room. Eventually, the attackers left, but not before setting the house on fire.

Loss and Uncertainty

Following the attack, Golland and his community were forcibly evacuated from their homes by the army and witnessed the destruction of their kibbutz. They mourned the loss of friends and family members, with some even taken by terrorists, leaving uncertainty about their fate. The community also faced the challenge of rebuilding and coping with the trauma of the attack. Despite the tragedy, they showed compassion by donating money to people from Gaza who were their friends. However, the speaker expressed doubt about the effectiveness of negotiation as a solution and the uncertainty of their future.

International Concern and Political Chaos

The attack resulted in a high death toll, including 25 Americans. The Israeli military’s order for the population of Northern Gaza to relocate within 24 hours raised concerns from the United Nations. Additionally, political chaos ensued in the House of Representatives as Steve Scalise withdrew from consideration for the speakership, and hard-line Republicans expressed support for Jim Jordan.

Conclusion

Golland’s story provides a harrowing account of the extreme violence experienced by his community during Israel’s deadliest day. The attack has left lasting scars, both physically and emotionally, and has raised questions about the future and the efficacy of negotiation. The international community is also concerned about the situation, while political chaos adds to the complexity of the aftermath. As Golland and his community rebuild, they face uncertainty and the profound impact of the attack on their lives.