Terrorists broke into the home of Moshe Rosen, 72, and his wife Diana, 75, in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7. They looted the house, ate whatever they could find, and abducted the elderly couple, both of whom were wounded, forcing them to walk toward Gaza.
At one dramatic moment, Moshe told the terrorists he needed a doctor and said, "We go home." Seizing the opportunity, the couple turned and ran, knowing they could be shot at any moment. "We were ready to die right there, but not in Gaza," Moshe recalls.
Moshe and Diana had lived on the kibbutz for 50 years, building a home and raising a family. They were used to rocket sirens and had followed their usual routine by heading to the shelter. But this time, the situation escalated. By 11:30 a.m., it was clear that terrorists had reached their door.
"As they breached the door, the whole house shook," Moshe says. The terrorists destroyed everything in their path before reaching the shelter, where Moshe and Diana were hiding. They managed to hold the door shut until the terrorists fired bullets through it, injuring both of them.
When the terrorists saw Moshe's severe injury, they ordered the couple out of the shelter and sat them on the sofa while communicating with their commander. One terrorist looted the house, while another casually helped himself to food and drink from the fridge.
The terrorists then forced the couple to walk through the kibbutz, circling for over an hour to avoid capture. "They kept checking if anyone had seen them," Moshe says. His wound worsened, but the terrorists continued to push and threaten them.
At the border fence, the couple saw their chance. The terrorists were waiting for a car to take them to Gaza, but Moshe refused to pass through the hole in the fence. In a desperate bid for freedom, they ran. "I think the terrorists were afraid of the helicopter above us," Diana said. "They were overwhelmed, and the military believes they hesitated to shoot us, fearing exposure."
After escaping their captors the couple found a place to hide while a battle raged on the kibbutz. "We ran with our remaining strength until we reached what was left of our house. We realized we could not stay there while terrorists were still in the Kibbutz," Moshe says. "I did not have my phone because they ordered me to throw it away but luckily Diana's phone was in the house and we called our eldest son Jonathan who alerted a neighbor who was willing to risk his life and take us in. He treated my wound and stopped the bleeding. He is a brave man and a friend. "
The couple remained with the neighbor for hours until the soldiers were able to reach them and take them to hospital. Today, Moshe still does not have full use of his arm but it was saved from amputation.
Despite their ordeal, Moshe and Diana are trying to think positively about the future, not only for themselves but for all those who were left in Gaza.
Diana said the fight for the release of the hostages must not stop. "We have an amazing people that will continue to be strong but the hostages must be freed, now," she says. Moshe agrees. "Even this minute as we speak, we cannot know who is still alive, who has food, who is breathing, what about the women, the little children, it is just chilling."