"I started thinking that I won't get out of here" - the injured person from the attack in Jerusalem relives the moments of horror:
Eliezer (Elliot) Melish, who was moderately injured in the stabbing attack that happened on a bus in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem last Tuesday, was released today (Monday) from the Shaarei Zedek Medical Center.
Just before leaving the hospital, Melish described the physical struggle with the terrorist and how he was able to repel him.
Watch Eliezer repeat: "Only me and the terrorist are left"
The injured from the Ramot stabbing attack is released from the hospital // Video: Yoni Rickner
Melish described the moments of the attack: "I was driving from my house in Givat Ze'ev and was on my way to yeshiva in Jerusalem. Before the bus reached the Ramot junction, I suddenly heard screams and someone stood over my shoulder and started hitting me. I saw that he was holding something and I realized that he was trying to kill me.
"I realized it was an attack," he recalls.
"I felt like a sign from heaven that I could do something and it didn't end here. I managed to get up and started fighting with him. I managed to grab his hands and push him to the chairs on the other side. The strength I had was beyond nature."
Eliezer testifies after being released from the hospital.
"The power I had is above nature", photo: Oren Ben Hakon
"In the meantime, everyone managed to get off the bus and the whole bus was empty," he recalled.
"Just me and him. I wasn't sure I would be able to hold him until someone came, so I tried to run away. He managed to give me a push and I flew out of the door onto the sidewalk on my face. Then he came at me again, jumped on me and stabbed me again. I tried to push him away him from my head and my body. No one was around. I began to think that I wouldn't get out of here. As soon as I almost gave up, I suddenly saw someone who was there, who started throwing something at him. He left me and I saw that he was running away, and then someone else arrived who managed to shoot him and stop him."
Melish's medical condition has improved in recent days: "Every day the situation is better. I feel the strong embrace of all of Israel. I have received messages from all over the world praying for me. It touches my heart."
Melish added: "I want to thank the rescue teams that treated me in the field, the dedicated medical team that saved my life and gave me sensitive and dedicated care, the charity organizations like one family and the social workers, all of these gave me the strength to recover so well, and gave me the feeling that I am not Alone. I don't have enough words to thank you for leaving here like this today."
"They gave me the feeling that I was not alone", photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Before his release from the hospital, Melish met with the staff of the trauma unit and the surgical department at Shaare Zedek Medical Center who treated him and the passenger who neutralized the terrorist and saved his life.
Dr. Alon Shortz, director of the trauma unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, said: "We are very happy with Eliezer's speedy recovery.
We treated him with dedication, the teams of doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers.
Eliezer suffered penetrating and life-threatening injuries and he recovered from all of them and is still recovering.
We will continue to monitor his condition even after release."
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us