From Fear to Resilience: The Inspiring Homecoming of Young Israelis Amidst Hamas Attacks

Upon learning that Hamas militants were assaulting a music festival where his family was present, Ben Ovadia recited Kaddish, the Jewish prayer dedicated to the deceased, in honor of his mother. Expressing his immense distress, the 38-year-old stated to CNN, "I was at a loss. I pleaded that they end her life as it would be preferable to her falling into their hands. This situation is an absolute nightmare. I begged that they spare her life and not subject her to such horrifying circumstances."

He helplessly watched over WhatsApp as his mother and younger brother sent updates for eight agonizing hours. They told him that they were hiding in small bushes, hearing the terrifying sound of gunfire while people walked past uttering the words "Allahu Akbar." "(Each message) took approximately two minutes to arrive, leaving us in complete silence in between," he disclosed. "Every two minutes felt like an eternity as we anxiously awaited a response."

A plume of smoke rises in the sky over Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on Monday.

Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images

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Ovadia eventually discovered a safe hideout, and promptly sent the map to his brother, enabling them to successfully flee the festival.

Following this daring escape, the subsequent morning saw Ovadia boarding a flight from London to Israel, where he resides with his British wife and their nine-year-old twins, and pursues a career as a jeweler.

Many Israelis are coming back to their home country from abroad as the long-standing conflict with Hamas evolves into a war of unprecedented magnitude. In response to the surging demand, Israeli airlines such as El Al, Israir, and Arkia have increased the number of flights available to bring back military reservists, according to a report by Reuters.

These Israelis are abruptly ending their vacations or leaving their daily lives behind in foreign countries, as they come back for various reasons. Some are attending funerals, others are making preparations to be called up for military service in the reserves, and there are those who are bringing essential supplies back with them, or are returning to help protect their communities.

At least 1,200 individuals in Israel have lost their lives as a result of a merciless and savage assault by Hamas on October 7. The militants of this extremist group managed to breach the heavily fortified Gaza border, inflicting horrifying atrocities.

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

Fatima Shbair/AP

The Gaza crisis escalates as Israel conducts intense bombardment in response to Hamas atrocities. Israel is employing airstrikes and cutting off the supply of electricity, food, water, and fuel to Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that the death toll in Gaza has reached at least 1,354, and the enclave's power station has run out of fuel as of Wednesday.

Immediately upon his arrival in Israel, Ovadia wasted no time in reuniting with his family before heading straight to Lod, a city located approximately nine miles southeast of Tel Aviv, which had previously experienced episodes of violence. In an effort to maintain peace, he promptly joined his friends in organizing an impromptu neighborhood watch. Moreover, Ovadia has actively contributed to distributing donated food and is currently making arrangements to drive to the southern part of the country due to the scarcity of available drivers who can transport people to their loved ones.

"There is at least something I can do," he stated. "I couldn't bear to remain in London as a mere observer of everything unfolding on television."

Another Israeli who has come back is a 30-year-old named Guy, employed in the cybersecurity field, and residing in London for the past five years. For safety concerns, CNN is not disclosing his last name. Guy returned to Israel on Wednesday upon learning that six of his friends went missing after attending the Supernova music festival. As of now, two members of the group have been tragically identified as deceased.

Guy, who lives in London, has returned to Israel to join up as a reservist, but also attend the funerals of friends killed at the Supernova festival.

He informed CNN that he will resume his duties as a military reservist and attend the funerals of his close friends who, along with Palestinians, frequently enjoyed attending trance music festivals like Supernova.

"The current generation,

, has never witnessed anything quite like this," he expressed. "They have been presented with the prospect of embracing peace and the notion of a two-state solution... We, on the other hand, were raised with such ideals... The individuals attending these festivals engage as global citizens who simply yearn to revel in the joy of existence."

Emily Hand, 8, was killed during Hamas' attack in Be'eri on Saturday.

Courtesy Tom Hand

Israel has mobilized 300,000 reservists, a scale comparable to major countries like the United States, to join the fight for its military, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This sudden development has transformed the once desirable place to raise children into a front line. Despite Israel's relatively small population of 9.7 million, the call for such a large number of reservists showcases the seriousness of the situation.

"Almost every Israeli family has someone who has been called up for military service or, sadly, someone they still haven't found due to our small population," Spielman shared with CNN.

While there are a few exceptions, all Israeli citizens above 18 years old must serve in the IDF. Upon completing their service, a significant number of individuals embark on extended trips abroad, symbolizing a post-service tradition."

Ben, 22, was about to go trekking in the Nepal Himalayas when the attacks took place. He flew back from Kathmandu on Tuesday.

After finishing his military duty, a 22-year-old man named Ben, who prefers to keep his family name undisclosed, had initially planned to embark on an adventure across Asia for several months. However, his intentions were quickly altered last Saturday upon receiving information about a Hamas attack while residing in a remote Nepalese mountain village. Consequently, he promptly returned to Israel and is now prepared to serve as a reservist in a reconnaissance unit.

During a phone call from Nepal on Monday, Ben mentioned that he believed there were over 100 Israelis in Kathmandu alone, attempting to make their way back. Expressing his concern, he stated that being far away was challenging, as there were limited actions he could take. He spent his days watching the news and constantly checking his phone, feeling helpless in his absence during this difficult time.

Ilan Fisher is flying back to Israel from Australia, where he was attending a friend's wedding, to join the army as a reserve.

Ilan Fisher, a 29-year-old Israeli, expressed to CNN on Wednesday that he is anticipating being summoned for reserve duty. At the time of the Hamas attack, he happened to be on vacation in Melbourne, Australia. He was attending the wedding ceremony of two close Australian friends, who happen to reside in Israel as well.

Fisher, despite receiving numerous offers to stay in Melbourne, plans to return on Sunday and anticipate being redeployed to the army's media department.

"With the current and future severity of the situation there, I am left with no alternative but to go back," he stated.

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Rachel Gold, 27, recently returned from her vacation in Toronto and brought along supplies to Israel. She teamed up with her friend, Jessica Kane, who had been visiting her parents in New York, to make this endeavor possible.

Jessica Kane and Rachel Gold flew back to Israel from the US where friends and relatives helped them collect donations from the Jewish community.

Courtesy Jessica Kane

They managed to collect $15,000 through a social media campaign and returned on Monday evening with two companions, bringing along 13 bulky check-in cases, four carry-on bags, and multiple backpacks. These bags were filled with essential items such as head torches, flashlights, underwear, socks, toothbrushes, portable chargers, hydration pouches, and protein bars. Kane, aged 26, shared with CNN that her family practices their religion diligently, which is why she was unaware of the attack until her father discovered it through word of mouth while at the synagogue.

"Initially, I was skeptical and didn't believe it. I thought the situation was being exaggerated," she remarked. "Within moments, we instinctively reached for our phones. I discovered several missed calls from the army and an overwhelming influx of red alert notifications regarding missile attacks. The experience was undeniably arduous, to say the least."

Kane and her companions had 13 check-in cases along with a great deal more hand luggage, filled with donations of things like toiletries.

Courtesy Jessica Kane

The friends were greeted by volunteers at the airport on Tuesday, who promptly transported the donations to the southern region of Israel. Gold, who is currently serving as a reservist, is now stationed at a military base in the south.

"Being present here provides much more solace compared to being far away," she expressed to CNN. "I felt incredibly powerless just staying at home, helplessly observing the news and pondering over other ways to assist beyond monetary contributions. By being here, I at least feel involved and proactive, and I'm not constantly fixated on the news. It's a slightly less intimidating experience being here rather than being overseas."

CNNs Niamh Kennedy and Abeer Salman contributed to this report.