In normal times, Idan Arad is a professional travel and nature photographer who skillfully captures volcanic eruptions in Iceland and other breathtaking destinations worldwide. However, these are not normal days. After the Hamas terror attack on October 7, Idan found himself back in uniform, commanding a tank and fighting in the Gaza Strip. Before heading into action, he naturally packed a camera to document the combat zones.
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"When I organized my gear, the camera was among the first things I put in," he shared in a conversation with Ynet. "I took the old camera, not the new one, telling myself it's okay if it gets destroyed. It was attached to me on the tank, and every time I had a free moment I would pull it out and capture small moments."
"It was clear to me that I wanted to document what I would experience there; it was clear that this was an experience I would remember for years. When I came home, everyone wanted to see the pictures."
Is there one photo you are particularly proud of?
"There was a day when we moved from one area to another, and there was a movement of all the forces that were together. You simply see all the vehicles and soldiers marching together like a single unit, endless convoys of soldiers marching along the beach. It was in the morning, and the light was stunning. There was a moment – when they marched on the main street on the beach in Gaza – I stopped and said to myself, 'Wow, I can't believe this is where I am right now, experiencing this live.' It was truly an incredible moment."
The moments Idan could capture on camera were, of course, limited. "All the photos here are the result of isolated moments amid long hours of combat. It's dangerous to stick your head out of the tank to take pictures, so sometimes I just extended my hand and took photos without seeing at all what I was shooting. Most of the pictures are from very brief moments in between, moments of rest. Most of the time, it's intense combat."
Is there a particular location that stands out as the most powerful place you took photos?
"I'm not sure if it's the most powerful, but it's among the most meaningful. I uploaded some of the photos to Instagram, and they received the most comments and likes. I felt how impactful these photos were to several people, as I saw it live."
