In the terrorist attack near the Israel-Egypt border a decade ago, Egyptian terrorists opened fire on buses, cars of civilians and security forces during a long and exhausting day of fighting.
At the end of that Thursday, August 18, 2011, six Israeli citizens were murdered - sisters Flora Gaz and Shula Karlinsky;
Moshe, Flora's husband;
Dov, Shula's husband;
Yosef Levy of Holon, whose wife Esther survived;
And the driver of the empty bus that burned Yitzhak Sela, their memory is blessed.
The security forces also had two casualties, an IDF soldier, Sgt.
Now "Israel Today" is back to that day and to the people.
The stories and protagonists were able to support several Hollywood films: a bus driver rescuing a bus full of soldiers;
A team of exceptional Golani fighters who prevented a major disaster;
And the legendary naval fighter Pascal Avrahami, who was the last killed.
"Fly away, no questions asked"
The terrorist attack began around 12:00 noon, when a squad of armed terrorists infiltrated from Sinai to Israel.
The terrorists fired at a bus traveling from Be'er Sheva to Eilat, injuring seven of its passengers, most of them soldiers.
Benny Bilewski, the driver on Egged's Line 392, drove soldiers and civilians on this line for more than 30 years and was aware of the danger.
As soon as the terrorists' fire hit a bus full of soldiers, he immediately realized - this was a terrorist attack.
"In the moment of the first bundles on the windshield I knew what that meant. I realized I had to fly away, with no questions asked."
Within moments the veteran driver knew what to do: "The soldiers were hit by bullets that penetrated the bus tin and entered through the windows, but the bursts of gunfire came from the mountain, not from the road."
Benny Bilewski: "The reinforcements and the feedback are what lifted me," Dudu Greenspan
Bilevsky is aware that he saved many soldiers, but finds it difficult to take on the role of hero, "I am not a hero, nor have I ever been. After going through this ambush, I told the soldier next to me, 'Put me on speaker and call the police.' The ambulances, "he recalls.
Despite the difficult incident, Bilevsky clung to the routine: "The reinforcements and feedback are what lifted me. I returned to the same line and worked there for another two years, until the moment came when I already had a hard time seeing the condition of the other bus driver killed in the empty bus, the late Yitzhak Sela.
It was traumatic for me to think I could have been in his place. "
The late Yitzhak Sela, courtesy of the family
After the shooting on the first bus, an empty bus passed by at the scene of the attack.
One of the terrorists detonated an explosive device, killed the driver and the bus burned completely.
Terrorists then fired at private cars.
A Golani force that arrived at the scene included the late Nir Lavi and Moshe Naftali. Lavi tells Israel Today about Moshe, who was a man who could only be envied by the values he had: "We were six guys who stopped 20 terrorists from entering Eilat.
At 11 in the morning we were in a conference area, and then Moshe received a phone call that there were shots in the area, so we went there. "
"At a bend about 100 meters from the point of attack, I saw a huge truck with two trailers, doing a crazy reversal. He started shouting 'shoot shooters.' We blocked them. "
In retrospect, it is understandable that those reservists might have been killed had it not been for the decision of the same Golani unit staff.
Lavi recalls: "We drive at record speed and see terrorists firing non-stop. One of them was in a kneeling position on the floor. In retrospect we know he made explosives. The same terrorist was with a gun, he aimed at us, I aimed the wheel at the terrorist, I ran over him, and he died "
Nir Lavie: "I shoot the terrorist and for some reason decide to close the door. A second later I get three bullets in the door," Yehoshua Yosef
After crossing the arena for the first time, turn back. "After realizing we were still alone in the field, spraying us from every possible dome, like in a bullfight, we suddenly see a terrorist running over us while we are on 'Pool Gas.' "We shoot at the terrorist and for some reason decide to close the door. A second after I get three bullets in the door in front of my face, I can not even tell you why I closed the door."
In the same incident, Moshe Naftali was also killed: "I saw him fall on the road, I realized he had lost his life."
Lavie could not help but be moved by the thought of Naftali: "He was kind of righteous in his behavior, a golden man. We were hardly in the army together, you saw someone who did not lose himself. He really believed in a mission, on the way."
Sgt. Moshe Naftali was 22 years old at the time of his fall. He was laid to rest in the military section of Mount Herzl. He left behind parents and six brothers and sisters.
The late Moshe Naftali, courtesy of the family
At around 19:00, when they thought the incident was over, Avrahami was killed by gunfire that originated in Egyptian territory. His widow Sima says: "It was his last year in the military - just as he was about to leave he was killed. His mother and I always told him he had to leave because it was dangerous. "After his death, praise came from senior members of the defense establishment, the prime minister, the ministers and the president who knew him personally. "It happened, everything's fine. I did not want to interrogate him, I knew it was his job."
Sima returns to the most difficult moment of her life - the moment of the good news: "It started in the morning. He went out to the activity and said he was coming back in the evening.
There is serious activity of the IDF in Eilat. I called him several times and he reassured me, 'Everything is fine.' After that he stopped answering.
We called, they asked, 'Who is this?' I said, 'Pascal's wife,' they hung up the phone. "
Sima Avrahami: "My eldest son started crying and told me 'something happened to the father'", Oren Ben Hakon
Sima felt as if a knife had been stabbed in her heart.
"I drove home quickly. At the entrance to the house I saw that there were no police cars. My eldest son started crying and told me 'something happened to Dad'. I calmed him down and he said to me 'Yes, Mom. He said, 'Nothing happened to Dad, Daddy should come soon.'
I did not want to open, I started screaming.
I told them 'I hope Pascal was injured and nothing happened'.
I was caught and immediately fainted.
When I woke up I was already told he had been killed.
I still do not believe he was killed, even after ten years. "
The greatest love in the world
"They say time does its thing and that's really not true, the longing is very great. The great grandson Noam, already 6 and a half years old, asks me all day - 'When will he come?'. Pascal was an exemplary husband and father just like the warrior he was.
The late Pascal Avrahami, courtesy of the family
"We were married for 26 years. There is no love like we had, not even in the movies. And there is no such father. I always said to him 'Pascal, you are not suitable for this world,' he was the most perfect. I wish every woman in the world such a husband, loved his parents "In a crazy way, he loved me and the children and took care of everyone. There are no such people."
Pascal Avrahami was 49 at the time of his fall.
He is survived by his wife and three sons, parents and two brothers.
The late Yosef Levy, courtesy of the family
The late Dov and Shula Karlinsky, courtesy of the family
The late Moshe and Flora Gaz, courtesy of the family
