| Sderot
The city of Sderot is situated at the northeast edge of the Gaza Envelope. It was founded in 1951 and received municipal status in 1996. The name Sderot means "avenues" and signifies the eucalyptus trees planted by the JNF along the roads of the Negev.
The city's location—a little over a kilometer from the Gaza Strip—has affected its security situation. From the beginning of the Second Intifada, Kassam rockets were fired at the city, some of which caused fatalities and property damage. Even after the intifada subsided, quiet was not restored to Sderot, which continued to endure rocket shelling
The city is constantly developing, with the local residents primarily responsible for its flourishing and prosperity. Sderot is a warm and embracing, active, inclusive and participatory community that demonstrates brotherhood, responsibility, respect and mutual solidarity.
The Sapir Academic College is located near Sderot. Around 8,000 students are enrolled at the college, many of whom live in the city.
Events of October 7
Armed Hamas terrorists infiltrated the city and began exchanging fire with the police and armed civilians. In one recorded incident terrorists were seen shooting with rifles and an RPG launcher at passing cars near a neighborhood supermarket. Many civilians and police officers were murdered, among them 13 pensioners on an excursion to the Dead Sea who got off the bus in response to the red alert warning of incoming rockets.
The terrorists occupied the local police station and murdered 35 people, including police officers and civilians. Subsequently, IDF and SWAT forces arrived, surrounded the police station, regained control of it, rescued the trapped officers and neutralized the terrorists. Later the forces used gunfire and bulldozers to demolish the police station and kill the remaining terrorists. According to estimates the SWAT forces eliminated dozens of terrorists in and around the police station.
On Sunday October 8, the IDF and Israeli security forces regained control over the city of Sderot. On October 12, a temporary structure was constructed for the police station in Sderot, replacing the building that was destroyed.
Ronen Gabai, Sderot Community Security Coordinator, left his house in the early hours of October 7 armed only with a pistol. Just one month and a half before then, IDF forces had collected all the weapons of the local security response team.
Upon meeting up with Sderot mayor Alon Davidi, the two narrowly escaped being hit by terrorist fire. Ronen continued patrolling the city, encountered a terrorist near the police station and opened fire. At one point Ronen heard cries for help from a car. Inside were two small girls, Lia (6) and Romi (4), who had been left there alone after their parents were murdered. Ronen rescued them under heavy gunfire and took them to safety.
Later Ronen joined Major General Amir Cohen. Together they battled dozens of terrorists who had taken over the police station, managing to kill more than ten of them. During the battle Ronen sustained wounds to his shoulder and his knee but continued to fight until he could no longer move. He was seriously injured and lost a great deal of blood. He was eventually rescued by a civilian volunteer and woke up in the hospital two weeks later. "It's a miracle I'm alive," he stated.
"They are my heroes."
On Saturday morning Corporal Mali Shoshana, a volunteer officer in the Lachish Region, was on a reinforcement shift at the Sderot police station. When she heard shots outside the building, she and her fellow police officers went up to the roof, armed only with pistols and without any long weapons.
They positioned themselves on the roof and began defending the police station. During the ensuing battle Mali shot at terrorists, taking a weapon from one of them and giving it to another police officer. When a grenade was thrown at her, she grabbed it and tossed it back, thus saving her comrades. They fought under fire and grenade bombardment while treating the wounded.
Later, when their ammunition ran out and Mali was wounded in her arm, she lay down on the roof and pretended to be dead in hopes of surviving. She was eventually rescued from the roof by a fire department crane and evacuated to the hospital.
Mali noted the bravery of her comrades in arms: "We protected each other as best we could—they are my heroes."
Stories of Heroism
רונן גבאי, רכז הביטחון של שדרות, יצא מביתו עם אקדח בלבד בשעת בוקר מוקדמת של ה-7 באוקטובר. מערכת הביטחון אספה את כלי הנשק של כיתת הכוננות כחודש וחצי קודם לכן.
לאחר שנפגש עם ראש העיר אלון דוידי, השניים ניצלו מירי מחבלים ממש בדקות. רונן המשיך בסריקות ברחבי העיר, נתקל במחבל סמוך לתחנת המשטרה ופתח באש. בשלב מסוים שמע זעקות "הצילו" מרכב – בתוכו היו ליה ורומי, בנות 6 ו־4, שנשארו לבדן לאחר שהוריהן נרצחו. רונן חילץ אותן תחת אש כבדה והעביר אותן למקום בטוח.
בהמשך הצטרף למפקד מחוז דרום, ניצב אמיר כהן, והשניים לחמו יחד מול עשרות מחבלים שהשתלטו על תחנת המשטרה. הם הצליחו לחסל יותר מעשרה מהם. במהלך הקרב נפצע רונן מירי בכתף ובירך, אך המשיך להילחם עד שלא היה ביכולתו לזוז. לבסוף חולץ על ידי אזרח מתנדב כשהוא פצוע קשה ואיבד דם רב. הוא התעורר בבית החולים כשבועיים לאחר מכן. "בזכות ניסים – אני חי", סיכם.
"הם הגיבורים שלי"
בשבת בבוקר רפ"ק מאלי שושנה, קצינת מתנדבים במרחב לכיש, הייתה במשמרת בתחנת המשטרה בשדרות. כששמעה ירי חי מחוץ למבנה, עלתה עם חבריה לגג – ללא כלי נשק ארוכים, כשהם מצוידים רק באקדחים.
הם התמקמו על הגג והחלו להגן על התחנה. בקרב שהתפתח, מאלי ירתה במחבלים, לקחה נשק מאחד מהם והעבירה אותו לשוטר נוסף. כשנזרק לעברה רימון, היא תפסה אותו וזרקה חזרה – ובכך הצילה את חבריה. הם לחמו תחת ירי ורימונים, תוך כדי טיפול בפצועים.
בהמשך, כשהתחמושת אזלה והיא נפצעה בידה, נאלצה מאלי לשכב על הגג ולהעמיד פני מתה, בתקווה לשרוד. לבסוף חולצה מהגג באמצעות מנוף כיבוי אש ופונתה לבית החולים.
מאלי מציינת את גבורתם של חבריה ללחימה: "שמרנו זה על זה כמה שיכולנו – הם הגיבורים שלי".
סיפורי גבורה
