Fifth Canadian confirmed dead in Hamas attack threw himself on grenade | 24CA News
TEL AVIV, Israel—The fifth Canadian citizen confirmed lifeless within the Hamas assault on Israel threw himself onto a grenade to avoid wasting his girlfriend, his mom stated on Sunday.
Ayelet Shachar-Epstein stated her 21-year-old son, Netta Epstein, was sheltering together with his girlfriend in a secure room on the Kfar Aza kibbutz when Hamas gunmen someway broke inside.
They shot him and tossed the explosive on the couple however Epstein smothered it together with his physique, his mom advised Global News. His girlfriend, Irene Shavit, survived and was later rescued.
Epstein was born in Israel however had Canadian citizenship by way of his grandmother, who was born in Montreal, stated his mom, additionally a Canadian. He served within the Israel Defence Force till August.
“It’s really important that the world knows what we went through,” Shachar-Epstein stated. “The people that live on our kibbutz are peace-loving people that hold their hands out for peace.”
“And what’s been done to us is slaughter.”
Israeli-Canadian Netta Epstein, 21, and his mom Ayelet Shachar-Epstein.
Family Handout
Shachar-Epstein additionally survived the Oct. 7 assault by hiding in a distinct secure room at Kfar Aza. But her mom, son, and two brothers-in-law had been among the many 70 killed on the kibbutz that day. A nephew is lacking.
After the alarms first sounded on the kibbutz close to the Gaza border at round 6:30 that morning, Shachar-Epstein messaged her son on WhatsApp, they usually stored in contact till he died.
The following is a condensed transcript of their messages:
Mother: Grandmother was shot and she or he is killed.
Son: Ok. What was she killed from? Was it a rocket or was it terrorists?
Mother: It was terrorists.
Son: F**ok.
Mother: The remnants of the bullet is subsequent to her.
Son: Ok. Help grandpa.
Ayelet Shachar-Epstein, left, mom of Netta Epstein, with daughter Rona.
Stewart Bell/Global News
Mother: How about you?
Son: We’re hanging in there.
Mother: Is Irene afraid?
Son: Both of us are afraid.
Mother: Of course you’re. ❤️❤️❤️ I like you my boy.
Son: ❤️
Mother: Call me now.
Netta Epstein, 21, and his mom, Ayelet Shachar-Epstein.
Family Handout
Son: What’s taking place. Write to me.
Mother: Ofir [his uncle, who was the mayor of the municipality] is killed.
Son: Ya daddy already wrote to me. How did it occur? Do you recognize?
Mother: It was a terrorist that shot him.
Son: Mommy what’s taking place? Give us a report.
Mother: We’re within the secure room, it’s locked. Did you lock?
Son: Yes.
Netta Epstein, 21, left.
Family Handout
Mother: Terrorists entered the home subsequent door. And might be in the home throughout the road.
Son: I do know.
Mother: Are they taking pictures in your neighbourhood?
Son: Yes and there’s yelling in Hebrew and there’s large taking pictures and there’s a automobile that’s beeping on a regular basis and I don’t perceive what’s occurring. They’re exterior my condo.
Mother: Ok my sweetheart simply maintain Irene tightly. I like you. The troopers are on the best way to you.
Son: We nonetheless hear them.
Unable to succeed in her son, Shachar-Epstein as an alternative messaged his girlfriend’s cellphone. Her son responded, however then she misplaced contact with him once more.
When she lastly received by way of, the girlfriend wrote: He’s been shot by a shotgun and there was a grenade and I’m hiding beneath the mattress.
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
