Title: Mother Returns to House Where Daughters Were Kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza
Subtitle: Mein Tzin seeks closure and hopes to find solace in her daughters’ room
Date: [Date]
In a heartbreaking and courageous act, Mein Tzin, the mother of 15-year-old Dafna and eight-year-old Ella, has returned to the house in Nahal Oz where her daughters were kidnapped by Hamas to Gaza. Last week, she received the devastating news of the murder of her ex-husband, Noam Elikim, at the hands of the terrorists who broke into their home on that fateful Shabbat.
The hours leading up to the tragedy were captured in a video that has haunted Mein since its release. The terrorists, in an act of unimaginable cruelty, used 17-year-old Tomer, Noam’s son with his partner Dekla Araba, to lure other families out of the MMD (Mutually Managed Dwellings) in Nahal Oz, only to murder them. The chilling video was live-streamed on Facebook, showcasing the terrorists’ sinister use of cameras.
Wanting to experience what her daughters went through and find closure, Mein decided to return to the house where her family was torn apart. She expressed her desire to see her daughters’ room, filled with memories of their innocent childhood, including Dafna’s bears and Ella’s dressing table. “I just want to get there, to the place where my family was taken from,” she said.
Desperate for any information about her daughters, Mein reached out to Stav, Dekla’s eldest son, who informed her about the live video broadcasted by Hamas from his mother’s cell phone. He sent her the video, revealing the horrifying reality her loved ones had endured. They went to sleep in the safety of their home, only to wake up in Gaza, under the control of their captors.
“I don’t know what’s going through them, if they’re okay, what they’re thinking, if they know anything at all,” Mein expressed her concerns for her daughters. Determined to reach them, she proclaimed, “There is no one who will love them as much as I do and will not help anyone, I will get where I need to be. My daughters are my life. Hamas messed with the wrong mother.”
With a heavy heart, Mein embarked on her journey accompanied by journalists. Passing through the areas of death, she reached the gate of Nahal Oz, reliving the moments when her late ex-husband was taken by the terrorists. Despite the permits obtained, they faced initial resistance at the checkpoint due to ongoing security concerns. Eventually, they were granted entry, and the gate creaked open, allowing Mein to step foot inside.
Inside the house, a soldier insisted on entering the premises first to assess the situation, bringing back the devastating news that the scenes were too unbearable for Mein to witness. In a heartbreaking plea, she begged to be allowed in, mentioning that if her daughters had gone through it, she would too. However, the soldier, mature and empathetic, refused to expose her to the horrors her daughters had experienced.
After a tense few minutes, the soldier returned to Mein, holding her daughters’ clothes in his hands. He assured her that he would guard them at all costs. As she made her way back to the car, Mein also collected a sign from the garden, which read “Toby’s kennel,” as another memento of her daughters’ presence.
Most of the families from Nahal Oz kibbutz, which was infiltrated by over a hundred terrorists, remain displaced from their homes. Mein’s daughters were meant to be with her this weekend, but due to a farm holiday performance, plans were altered. Mein fought to bring her daughters into this world, and now they are all she has left.
As she continues her quest to find her daughters, Mein remains determined and strong, echoing the lyrics of the song “Flowers in the desert” by Eyal Golan that her daughter introduced her to. “I will find ways to grow flowers in the middle of the desert even when the night is cold,” the lyrics now resonate with her newfound courage and resilience.
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Note: The article has been edited to remove sensitive and graphic details.