Sharabi family

“Don't kill us.”

Sharabi family

Terrorists infiltrated into the Sharabi family's home and took out the family members. The father, Yossi, and Ofir, the daughter Yuval's 17-year-old partner, were kidnaped. The rest managed to hide. Ofir returned from captivity after 54 days. Yossi was killed in Gaza by IDF bombing. His body was recovered on 13.10.25

The Sharabi family. From right to left: Nira, Yuval, Ofir, Oran and Yossi

“Don't kill us.”

Sharabi family

Minute by Minute Circle
06:34
06:45
~07:15
~11:30
12:30
~12:40
~13:00
~13:30
~16:00
~18:00
~21:00

The sequence of events

Minute by Minute

Click on the points on the timeline for a real-time tour. Clicking on the icons will display the event documentation.

06:34

Sirens in Beeri

06:45

Terrorists infiltrate the Kibbutz

~07:15

Nira updates her nephew: 'Don't come to Beeri'

~11:30

Nira calls the head of the emergency team

12:30

Terrorists infiltrate the family home

~12:40

The terrorists lead the hostages through the paths of the Kibbutz

~13:00

The terrorists kidnap Yossi and Ophir

~13:30

Nira breaks into a nearby house

~16:00

Smoke penetrates the house

~18:00

Nira seeks another shelter

~21:00

The IDF is coming

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On the weekend of Simchat Torah, Ophir Engel from Kibbutz Ramat Rachel is visiting the home of his 17-year-old girlfriend, Yuval Sharabi. When the sirens start, Yuval's parents, Yossi and Nira, the little sisters Ofir (15) and Oran (14), and their dog Shoko are staying at the Sharabi family home. With the sound of the sirens, everyone enters the safe room on the house's second floor. The door of the safe room in the house does not lock.

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Residents of the Kibbutz are warned about the infiltration of terrorists and are asked to enter the safe rooms.

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One of the gates from which the terrorists infiltrated the Kibbutz
One of the gates from which the terrorists infiltrated the Kibbutz Photo: Security Camera
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    Terrorists in Beeri Photo: Security Camera
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    While the terrorists are occupying Beeri, Idan, Nira's nephew who was at the Nova party, asks her for their home address to hide there from the terrorists' attack. Nira tells him that Beeri is also infiltrated by terrorists and tells him: “Don't come to Beeri. Look for a shelter or a hiding place."

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    Terrorists in Beeri
    Terrorists in Beeri Photo: Security Camera
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      “Don't come to Beeri,” Nira tells her nephew Photo: Kan News
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      Nira receives a message from her sister-in-law Lian, who lives in the Kibbutz, and asks her to call for help as soon as possible. She corresponds with Racheli, the head of the emergency team at the Kibbutz (Zahi), who tells her that army forces are in the area and should arrive at Lian's. About ten minutes later, Nira calls Lian but fails to reach her. The terrorists have already murdered Lian.

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      Three terrorists infiltrate the Sharabi family home. Yossi forcefully holds the door of the safe room, Ophir stands behind Nira, while the three girls hide under the blankets. The terrorists reach the top floor and forcibly break through the safe room door. First, the terrorists shoot Shoko the dog. Nira and Yossi raise their hands and ask the terrorists not to harm them. The terrorists ask who is under the blankets. Yuval, Ophir and Oran rise from the blankets and stand up.

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        “Don't kill us.” Nira tells of the encounter with the terrorists. From “The Evening News”
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        From the local WhatsApp group
        Resident 1
        They are trying to open the hinges of the door
        12:29 07/10/2023
        Resident1
        HEEEEEEEEEELP
        12:29 07/10/2023
        Resident2
        Do the bullets penetrate
        12:29 07/10/2023
        Bracket 2
        ?
        12:29 07/10/2023
        Resident2
        Someone come pleaaaaaaaase
        12:30 07/10/2023
        Nira
        They're here at ours
        12:30 07/10/2023
        Nira
        Nira and Yossi Sharabi
        12:30 07/10/2023
        Nira
        Please help
        12:30 07/10/2023
        Resident3
        Where is the army? What's going on? What is that?
        12:31 07/10/2023
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        The terrorists lead the members of the household into the courtyard, where four other hostages from the Shani family are being taken by two other terrorists. One of the terrorists tears up an Israeli flag that is in the courtyard and shouts several times: “Itbah al Jehud.” The terrorists take the phones from the hostages, tie Yossi's hands and then lead the ten through the neighborhoods of the Kibbutz. After a few minutes of walking, the terrorists sit them down on one of the lawns in the Kibbutz, in the courtyard of a house. Together with them sits an elderly couple and a caregiver.

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          “One of the terrorists takes a selfie.” Photo: Kan News
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          Nira recounts the moments when she was held by the terrorists
          00:00
          00:00
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          The terrorists lead the ten through the bushes for a few minutes' walk towards the road, where a black vehicle awaits. Two terrorists sit down in the front seats while Yossi, Ophir and Yuval are put in the back seat. Another terrorist calls the 16-year-old Amit Shani, puts him in the vehicle and urges Yuval to get out of the car. Yuval manages to tell Ophir “I love you” before the car starts the ride.

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          Nira, her daughters and the other hostages remain near the playground in the Kibbutz along with two terrorists entrusted to guard them. Suddenly the terrorists abandon the place, leaving behind a bag full of weapons. With gunfire and bullets whizzing from all sides in the background, Nira finds a pair of shears, with which she tears the net of the window of the house next to them and goes inside. She opens the door for everyone from the inside and the seven hostages hide from the shooting in the space of the house. They can't get into the safe room because at the time there was a hard of hearing elderly woman who feared terrorists were the ones knocking at the door.

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          RPG in the Kibbutz
          RPG in the Kibbutz
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            Nira talks about breaking into the house Photo: Kan News
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            The terrorists leave the scene
            00:00
            00:00
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            One of the neighboring houses catches fire and smoke begins to penetrate the house where Nira and the other residents are hiding. At this time there is no electricity and water in the kibbutz.

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            Due to the smoke that has begun to fill the house, Nira sets out to seek a safer shelter. Unable to find one, she returned home a short time later.

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            An IDF force arrives near the house and notices a bag containing the terrorists' combat equipment. The soldiers shout that they are about to blow up the bag, but the Sharabi family members hear them and shout: “Don't shoot us, we are Israelis.” The fighters ask her to open the door and lead the house's occupants to a safe place.

            The Day After

            8.10.23

            Evacuation to the Dead Sea

            11.10.23

            Official: Yossi and Ophir kidnapped

            29.11.23

            Ophir freed from captivity

            16.1.24

            Yossi's death is announced to the family

            10/13/25

            Yossi's body is returned
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            During the night, Nira and her three daughters are evacuated to Netivot and later to a hotel at the Dead Sea along with the other members of Kibbutz Beeri. Yossi, Ophir, and Amit are still defined as missing.

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            The family is informed that Yossi and Ophir are kidnapped in Gaza.

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            Yossi Sharabi in Hamas captivity Yossi Sharabi in Hamas captivity
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            Ophir is released from Hamas captivity after 54 days. Throughout most of his captivity he stayed with Yossi.

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            Ophir Engel Ophir Engel
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            The family is informed that Yossi has died in captivity. An IDF investigation found that an IDF bombardment killed Yossi.

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            Nira tells about the difficult news
            00:00
            00:00
            From an interview on Kan Network B
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            As part of the agreement to end the war, Yossi's body is returned to Israel

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