The Unexpected Transformation: From Israel's Ideal Haven for Kids to the Unforeseen Front Line

Lotan Pinyan, speaking to CNN on Wednesday, explained that people from Beeri used to jest that the Israeli kibbutz's proximity to the Gaza Strip was due to a desire to prevent it from being too perfect. Pinyan emphasized that this statement was light-hearted and made in reference to Beeri's natural beauty, with its picturesque sunsets, lush green fields, and all the desirable qualities one would expect from an ideal vacation destination.

Beeri, located just a few kilometers away from Gaza, has constantly been under the threat of Hamas rockets. Despite its otherwise idyllic setting, Pinyan and his friends would often acknowledge the rockets as the only downside. However, there was nothing humorous about the recent attack by Hamas militants on Saturday morning, which left Beeri devastated beyond imagination.

More than 120 residents, including children, were ruthlessly murdered, while others were taken hostage. The perpetrators engaged in arson, burning down people's homes and mercilessly taking their lives when they attempted to flee from the raging flames and suffocating smoke. They also engaged in looting, theft, and wanton destruction of property. The horrifying events were initiated by the piercing sound of sirens.

The community of about 1,100 people was woken up at 6:30 a.m., when the alarm indicating an imminent rocket attack went off.

Lotan and Michal Pinyan pictured with their family.

Courtesy Lotan Pinyan

"But this was no ordinary occurrence. We had become accustomed to the sound of bombings, knowing exactly what it sounded like: tat - tat - tat. However, this time it was distinctively different. The explosive sounds didn't cease. It continued relentlessly: tat - tat - tat - tat - tat - tat - tat," Michal Pinyan, Lotan's spouse, recounted to CNN. "And then, approximately 45 minutes later, we began receiving alarming messages stating that there were terrorists in the kibbutz," Lotan further added.

Anxiously, the family's WhatsApp group was overwhelmed with distressing messages exchanged between Michal's parents, Amir and Mati Weiss, and her three siblings.

9:25 a.m. Mati: gunshots in the balcony

9:26 a.m. Ran: also here there are gunshots outside the shelter window

9:30 a.m. Mati: I hear voices in Arabic outside the house

9:31 a.m. Dalit: do you also hear the security forces?

9:43 a.m. Amir: dad is injured they are in the house

9:43 a.m. Ran: what do you mean?

9:44 a.m. Dalit: they came inside?

9:44 a.m. Lotan: what? talk to us

9:47 a.m. Ran: limor spoke to racheli, sending you something

9:49 a.m. Michal: mom keep writing all the time

9:52 a.m. Eddie: When????

9:57 a.m. Limor: When, whats happening with you?

10:01 a.m. Michal: mom

10:01 a.m. Michal: Answer

10:03 a.m. Mati: save us

10:04 a.m. Mati:Save us

10:00 a.m. Michal:are you in the shelter?

10:04 a.m. Mati: dad was shot and they are throwing grenades

10:04 a.m. Mati: They blew up the safe room

10:04 a.m. Michal: inside the house?

10:04 a.m. Mati: yes

That message was the last one that came from Mati, Michals mother. After that, silence.

"We knew they were probably dead. But there was still a small hope that maybe they werent, that they were kidnapped," Lotan said.

CCTV footage shows one of two Hamas Islamist militants entering Be'eri kibbutz after firing on a car filled with local residents

South First Responders/Telegram/Reuters

“It was already too late”

Throughout the kibbutz, Tom Hand received alarming notifications regarding terrorists intruding into his neighbors' residences. Consumed by worry, his thoughts were solely occupied by his eight-year-old daughter Emily. Described as one of the tallest students in her class, possessing honey blond hair and fair skin that would bronze under the sun, Emily was not only a gifted dancer and singer but also a lively and intelligent individual, according to her father.

Hand arrived in Beeri 30 years ago as a volunteer, originally intending to stay for a couple of months, but he ended up staying permanently. Since his wife, Emilys mother, passed away from cancer a few years ago, Hand and Emily have been living here independently.

A bullet-shuttered window of the entrance to a kindergarten is seen in Kibbutz Be'eri on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023

Baz Ratner/AP

Residents informed CNN that the community is tightly bonded, engaging in communal meals and sharing every aspect of their lives, including salaries. These wages are pooled together and distributed equally among all the families.

In terms of political leanings, the kibbutz aligns with the left. Michal expressed that many perceive the Gazans as their neighbors during the interview with CNN.

In Gaza, some individuals were employed in the kibbutz and were fully integrated into the community. They even enrolled their children in the kibbutz's kindergarten. However, when they were unable to continue their work there, our community initiated a fundraising effort to support them. As a result, there is now a dedicated fund ensuring their well-being," she explained, emphasizing her unwavering commitment to regularly contribute to their financial aid.

Emily attended a sleepover at her friend's house on Friday night, where they enjoyed a fun-filled girls' evening," Hand remarked.

Hand didn't feel particularly concerned when the sirens sounded at 6:30 on Saturday. Such alarms were quite regular in the kibbutz. Emily was spending the night at a friend's house, and he trusted that both children would be secure.

"However, everything changed when I heard the gunfire. It was already too late. Had I known earlier, perhaps I could have hurriedly gone to fetch Emily, her friend, and their mother, and brought them back to my place. But, unfortunately, by the time I comprehended the seriousness of the situation, it was already too late," he lamented.

CNN

Unable to contact them and trapped inside the kibbutz, which had been overrun by heavily armed militants, this courageous woman barricaded the safe room door with unconventional items - a vacuum cleaner and a rolling pin - successfully fending off Hamas.

"I had to consider Emily's well-being. With her mother already gone, I couldn't take the chance of her losing her father as well," he expressed, pondering the weight of the situation.

Meanwhile, the Pinyan family, overwhelmed by the alarming events unfolding in their parents' residence, anxiously prepared themselves for the unsettling notion that their own home might become the prime target of the terrorists.

Emily Hand, 8, was murdered during the attack in Be'eri on Saturday.

Courtesy of Tom Hand

Inside their safe room, they encountered a dilemma. The door cannot be locked from the inside. Although all Israeli homes constructed post-1993 are required to have a shelter, these safe rooms are primarily designed to withstand explosions, and not armed invasions.

"We realized the importance of keeping the door securely shut, therefore we gathered any available items in the safe room and fastened them to the handle. We secured it further by tying it to the window and placing a chair against it, using a baseball bat to ensure it remained tightly closed," Lotan recounted.

For several hours thereafter, Lotan remained stationed by the door, forcefully pushing the bat against it, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the military to rescue them.

Lotan and Michal Pinyan used a baseball bat to secure the door of their safe room.

The kibbutz maintains its own volunteer emergency squad, comprised of approximately 15 individuals, tasked with safeguarding the community until the arrival of the army. Despite the nearby presence of an army base, the anticipation of the Israel Defense Forces' immediate response did not materialize.

Lotan stated that they had been waiting for approximately 20 hours, enduring hunger, thirst, and lack of access to a restroom. Michal mentioned that the children never made any demands throughout the ordeal. The IDF informed CNN that it took several days of fierce fighting to regain control of the kibbutz. To save the Pinyan family, a group of 15 soldiers bravely infiltrated the house, forming a protective circle around them, and escorted them to safety, despite the ongoing battle within the kibbutz.

Lotan, as they departed, mentioned that he shielded the children's eyes to spare them from witnessing the lifeless remains.

"We witnessed them all - soldiers, kibbutz members, and terrorists. It was akin to sesame sprinkled on a field, scattered throughout the entire kibbutz. Wherever we journeyed, lifeless bodies lay in sight," Lotan recounted.

Israeli soldiers carry the body of a Hamas militant in Kibbutz Be'eri on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023

Baz Ratner/AP

Waiting by the Dead Sea

After being saved by the military, many individuals from Beeri were evacuated to a hotel located on the Dead Sea coast. Tom Hand was one of them, anxiously anticipating any updates on Emily. Finally, the long-awaited news arrived.

"Two individuals from the kibbutz, a group comprising of doctors, psychiatrists, social workers... and they convey the message. Gently yet swiftly, as they have a significant number of individuals to assist," he remarked, expressing his sense of relief.

Amongst all the dreadful possibilities, death appeared to be the least agonizing.

Deborah Matias, Hayim Katsman, Igal Wachs and Amit Wachs

Obtained by CNN

A mother shielding her son, a 'pro-peace' academic and two brothers are among the Americans killed in Israel

"She had passed away. I was certain that she wasn't alone, she wasn't in Gaza, and she wasn't confined to a bleak room crowded with countless individuals, enduring constant fear and torment for an unknown duration of time. Therefore, her death was seen as a mercy," he confided to CNN, his voice trembling, tears flowing down his exhausted and pale visage.

"In this chaotic world, I find myself wishing for my daughter's demise," he expressed.

A significant number of the individuals saved from Beeri are now accommodated in the same hotel as Hand. This situation places him in a loving environment, but it also continuously reminds him of Emily. Numerous survivors of the massacre, who happen to be Emily's friends, are also present at the hotel.

"Emily's friends are aware that she is not here with me. Consequently, they inquire about her whereabouts...they gaze up at me and I respond by saying that I am unaware of her fate," he expressed. "However, as they witness their parents embracing me and shedding tears...children are perceptive, even at that tender age, thus I am certain that they come to a realization."

On June 28, 2021, fuel tankers funded by Qatar were seen arriving near the entrance of the Kerm Abu Salim Border Gate in Gaza City, Gaza. This border gate is used for trade purposes. After a span of 49 days, Israel finally allowed 17 trucks carrying Qatar-funded fuel to enter the Gaza Strip. The main purpose of this fuel delivery was to power the enclave's only power station. The provided photo captures this significant event. (Photo by Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images/File

Gaza's sole power station stops working as fuel runs out, after Israel orders 'complete' blockade

The community is rallying together to persevere, according to Michal Pinyan. She receives frequent hugs, engages in conversations, and hears fond recollections of her parents.

CNN was informed by Michal that she is aware of her parents' passing as individuals who were acquainted with them have confirmed their identities. However, she has been requested to submit a DNA sample for official verification, which could require a significant amount of time.

She has no clue about the forthcoming events. "Funerals are not a topic of discussion. We have nowhere to seek solace. The kibbutz is currently off-limits due to military operations," she expressed.

Nevertheless, she firmly trusts that Beeri will be reconstructed in one way or another. "We will require an immense amount of resilience, both physically and emotionally, to return. However, it is not a matter of if, but when we will go back," she asserted.

When their children express doubts about returning to a location with such haunting memories, the Pinyans insist on it. "We have conveyed to them that we don't abandon a sinking ship. It is crucial for us to go back and restore the place, mend the community. Only then can we, as a family, determine our next course of action," Lotan affirmed.

CNNs Clarissa Ward, Brent Swails and Clayton Nage contributed to this story.