Kan 07.10.360 | The story of Wachs family of Netiv HaAsara on October 7th

Alfredo woke up to the sound of red alerts but did not enter his house’s safe room. To him, it was just another day of missile barrages from the Gaza Strip fired at his moshav. He gazed through the window, saw a heavy fog, and reflected, 'A likely day for incursions.' At the same time, two of his sons woke up, each in their home in Moshav Netiv HaAsara—his eldest son Yigal (53) and his middle son Amit (48), who served in the moshav's civil security squad.

Terrorists infiltrated Moshav Netiv HaAsara using motorized paragliders

Amit, Alfredo's son, left his house with his weapon. He met two neighbors who also served in the civil security squad, Shimon Amar and David Afanger. They headed together toward the nearest residential block in the southern part of the moshav to defend the residents living there. At the same time, Amit communicated with his brother Yigal over the phone, who told him that he had heard gunshots outside his house. Amit warned him not to go outside, knowing that Yigal was unarmed and that terrorists were currently raiding the moshav.

Alfredo communicated with his nephew, journalist Yaron Anoush, over the phone, updating him that he was fine. A few minutes later, Amit, his son, called him. He urged Alfredo to take shelter in the safe room of his house before hanging up.

Amit's neighbor, Ayelet Molcho, notified the civil security squad that terrorists had broken into her home. Amit and Shimon headed to her house together. On the way, Shimon was shot and injured, leading Amit to proceed to the Molcho family home on his own. As he was about 80 meters away from the house, a terrorist hiding in the bushes shot him dead.

While Alfredo was locked in the safe room of his home, terrorists attempted unsuccessfully to break into his house. The cries of children from the house next door drew the terrorists' attention. These children belonged to neighbor Gil Tasa, who was hiding with them in a shelter outside his home. The terrorists turned toward the shelter, murdered Gil, and wounded his younger son.

While in the safe room, Alfredo continued to communicate with his nephew Yaron, unaware that his son Amit had been killed and that terrorists had attempted to break into his house. He informed Yaron that there had been an infiltration of terrorists into the moshav, but at that point, he believed it was a single incident and that the IDF was in control of the situation outside. He wrote to Yaron: 'There was an intrusion. Everyone is in their shelters. They are clearing the area outside.'

Yigal's neighbor, Sabine Tasa (Gil Tasa’s ex-wife), called Yigal for help as terrorists surrounded her house. Armed only with a machete, Yigal left his home, saw that terrorists were surrounding Sabine’s house, and decided to head toward the home of the Moshav's Military Security Coordinator, Ziv Volk, to arm himself and improve his chances of fighting back. On the way, Yigal encountered a terrorist who pursued him and shot him in the back. With his last strength, he managed to reach Ziv Volk’s house and inform him of the situation taking place outside before dying from his injuries. Meanwhile, cut off from communication and unaware of what was happening, Alfredo once again left the safe room in his home.

Danielle Vax, Amit’s daughter and Alfredo's granddaughter, spent that Saturday at Ovda Air Force Base, where she works as a computer technician. That afternoon, she received a phone call from her mother, Einat, informing her that her father and uncle had been killed in the attack. Danielle continued her operational duties at the military base despite the news until dawn. The Israeli President later awarded her a Medal of Merit for her actions.

Alfredo was still outside his house’s safe room when two Israeli soldiers arrived at his home. They instructed him to remain in the safe room, as it was still dangerous to be outside, and he complied.

Sahar, Amit’s brother-in-law, arrived at Alfredo's house. He handed him the phone, with Amit’s wife on the line, who informed Alfredo that both of his sons Amit and Yigal had been killed in the fighting. Alfredo looked at Sahar and said, 'I'm fine, go and take care of your family'.

Members of the civil security squad escorted Alfredo to his vehicle for evacuation from the moshav. On his way out, he saw a terrorist being bound by hand and foot. He drove the car and spent the night at a friend’s place in Moshav Ein Vered, who welcomed him.