Holding a glass of beer and smiling at the camera on a wooden bench in a pastoral setting, the three heroes who led the battle to defend Kibbutz Be'eri during the Hamas invasion on October 7 are seen in a photo: Eric Kraunik, the head of the kibbutz security team; Deputy head of the Kibbutz Community Emergency Team Ilan Weiss; and the head of Community Emergency Team then and now - and Eric's sister - Racheli Benakot; Two of them were killed on October 7
The photo was taken a little more than two months before the invasion of Kibbutz Be'eri by Hamas terrorists on October 7. Weiss, Benakot and Kraunik led the fight for containment in the first stage, and two of them, Eric and Ilan, fell during the rush to attack the terrorists. After that, Hamas terrorists kidnapped Ilan's body to the Gaza Strip.
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The last L'Chaiyim at Kibbutz Be'eri Eric Kraunik, Racheli Benakot and Ilan Weiss
(Photo: Eyal Bribram )
For long hours, Racheli led security forces in the battles in the kibbutz, which was occupied by hundreds of terrorists, directing the ready-alert squad and later the IDF forces. Racheli was constantly in contact with the families who were besieged in their secure rooms, heard the cries for help as kibbutz members were murdered and kidnapped, and helped in any way she could. The three were close friends and worked together for the security of Be'eri for many years.
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The photo was taken by the photographer Eyal Bribram on July 31, 2023, a little more than two months before the October 7 massacre, as part of an event honoring the emergency security teams of the localities of the Eshkol Regional Council after Operation Shield and Arrow, which took place in May of that year. In the event, which was held in Eshkol Park, the former commander of the Southern Brigade, Lt. Col. Asaf Hamami, who was killed on October 7 in battles against terrorists who invaded Kibbutz Nirim, and whose body is now held by Hamas in Gaza, also participated and was photographed.
Ilan Weiss was declared missing for about three months. At the beginning of January of this year, Kibbutz Be'eri announced that he was murdered. Some three days later, the IDF spokesman announced that Weiss had been kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, and that his body was being held by Hamas. His wife, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were also kidnapped and released as part of the hostage deal about a year ago.