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10/7: 100 Human Stories
The definitive account of the 10/7 attacks through the stories of its victims and the communities they called home.
On October 7, 2023—the Sabbath and the final day of the holiday of Sukkot—the Gaza-based terror group Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on the people of Israel. Crashing through the border, attacking from the sea and air, militants indiscriminately massacred civilians in what became one of the worst terror attacks in modern history, and the most lethal day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
A radically passionate work of investigative journalism and political critique by acclaimed Haaretz reporter Lee Yaron, 10/7 chronicles the massacre that ignited a war through the stories of more than 100 civilians. These stories are the products of extensive interviews with survivors, the bereaved, and first responders in Israel and beyond. The victims run the gamut from left-wing kibbutzniks and Burning Man-esque partiers to radical right-wingers, from Bedouins and Israeli Arabs to Thai and Nepalese guest workers, peace activists, elderly Holocaust survivors, refugees from Ukraine and Russia, pregnant women, and babies.
At a time when people are seeking a deeper understanding of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how internal political turmoil in Israel has affected it, they predominantly encounter perspectives from the powerful—from politicians and military officers. 10/7 takes a fresh approach, offering answers through the stories of everyday people, those who lived tenuously on the border with Gaza.
Yaron profiles victims from a wide range of communities—depicting the fullness of their lives, not just their final moments—to honor their memories and reveal the way the attack ripped open Israeli society and put the entire Middle East on the precipice of disaster. Each chapter begins with a portrait of a community, interweaving history with broader political analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to provide context for the narratives that follow. Ultimately, 10/7 shows that the tragedy is much greater than the violence of the attacks, and in fact extends back through the entire Netanyahu era, which propagated a false image of Israel as a technologically advanced, militarily formidable powerhouse so essential to the region that it could continue to ignore and undermine Palestinian statehood indefinitely.
On October 7, 2023—the Sabbath and the final day of the holiday of Sukkot—the Gaza-based terror group Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on the people of Israel. Crashing through the border, attacking from the sea and air, militants indiscriminately massacred civilians in what became one of the worst terror attacks in modern history, and the most lethal day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
A radically passionate work of investigative journalism and political critique by acclaimed Haaretz reporter Lee Yaron, 10/7 chronicles the massacre that ignited a war through the stories of more than 100 civilians. These stories are the products of extensive interviews with survivors, the bereaved, and first responders in Israel and beyond. The victims run the gamut from left-wing kibbutzniks and Burning Man-esque partiers to radical right-wingers, from Bedouins and Israeli Arabs to Thai and Nepalese guest workers, peace activists, elderly Holocaust survivors, refugees from Ukraine and Russia, pregnant women, and babies.
At a time when people are seeking a deeper understanding of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how internal political turmoil in Israel has affected it, they predominantly encounter perspectives from the powerful—from politicians and military officers. 10/7 takes a fresh approach, offering answers through the stories of everyday people, those who lived tenuously on the border with Gaza.
Yaron profiles victims from a wide range of communities—depicting the fullness of their lives, not just their final moments—to honor their memories and reveal the way the attack ripped open Israeli society and put the entire Middle East on the precipice of disaster. Each chapter begins with a portrait of a community, interweaving history with broader political analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to provide context for the narratives that follow. Ultimately, 10/7 shows that the tragedy is much greater than the violence of the attacks, and in fact extends back through the entire Netanyahu era, which propagated a false image of Israel as a technologically advanced, militarily formidable powerhouse so essential to the region that it could continue to ignore and undermine Palestinian statehood indefinitely.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2024
93 people are currently reading
695 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 9, 2024
5 stars just aren’t enough.
This is one of the hardest and most devastating books I have ever read. The author introduces us to 100 people living in Israel, tells their back stories (some more detailed than others) and tells us (really shows us) what happened to them on 10/7/23. You are right there with them as they are sheltering in safe rooms, driving frantically to escape the terrorists, calling or texting loved ones to check in or to say goodbye. You are feeling everything they feel, emotionally and physically. The descriptions of the massacre are horrific and may be too much for some readers.
As you get to know some of the victims, it feels like this happened to a loved one. There are some people whose fates were unknown at the time of publication. At least one person committed suicide a few weeks after the events, suffering from survivor’s guilt.
The author does not get into the politics of the region. Her only focus is what happened to these 100 people on 10/7/23, humanizing those who are massacred, tortured, injured, kidnapped or survived.
This book won’t be for everyone, but if you can emotionally cope with the stories, this is a must read. I will say that reading this during the one year anniversary of 10/7/23 was devastating so many levels.
For those who were massacred on 10/7/23: may their memories be a blessing.
This is one of the hardest and most devastating books I have ever read. The author introduces us to 100 people living in Israel, tells their back stories (some more detailed than others) and tells us (really shows us) what happened to them on 10/7/23. You are right there with them as they are sheltering in safe rooms, driving frantically to escape the terrorists, calling or texting loved ones to check in or to say goodbye. You are feeling everything they feel, emotionally and physically. The descriptions of the massacre are horrific and may be too much for some readers.
As you get to know some of the victims, it feels like this happened to a loved one. There are some people whose fates were unknown at the time of publication. At least one person committed suicide a few weeks after the events, suffering from survivor’s guilt.
The author does not get into the politics of the region. Her only focus is what happened to these 100 people on 10/7/23, humanizing those who are massacred, tortured, injured, kidnapped or survived.
This book won’t be for everyone, but if you can emotionally cope with the stories, this is a must read. I will say that reading this during the one year anniversary of 10/7/23 was devastating so many levels.
For those who were massacred on 10/7/23: may their memories be a blessing.
April 30, 2024
This was one of the hardest books I have ever read in my life. Despite that, I think it is such a necessary book. We owe it to the victims of Oct 7 and their families to bear witness to what they endured.
This book was heartbreaking and painful but so moving. I am amazed by the stories of bravery within the horror that the victims faced.
May the memories of all the victims of the October 7th pogrom be a blessing.
This book was heartbreaking and painful but so moving. I am amazed by the stories of bravery within the horror that the victims faced.
May the memories of all the victims of the October 7th pogrom be a blessing.
April 29, 2024
Everyone should bear witness to the tragedy of October 7th.
Lee Yaron's book is not an easy read. In fact, it's one of the most difficult books I've read in my life. But it's deeply important to read, bear witness, and honor the memories of those lost and families impacted.
This book tells the stories of people who lived through this modern day pogrom. It tells of survivors, of their family members who were murdered in cold blood, and of the hostages, many of whom still remain in captivity.
May their memories be a blessing.
I am eternally grateful that the publisher trusted me with an early copy of this book.
Lee Yaron's book is not an easy read. In fact, it's one of the most difficult books I've read in my life. But it's deeply important to read, bear witness, and honor the memories of those lost and families impacted.
This book tells the stories of people who lived through this modern day pogrom. It tells of survivors, of their family members who were murdered in cold blood, and of the hostages, many of whom still remain in captivity.
May their memories be a blessing.
I am eternally grateful that the publisher trusted me with an early copy of this book.
November 22, 2024
Five stars is not enough. This book is an evocative page-turner as much as it is a brilliantly crafted artistic masterpiece. It is a must read for every global citizen.
Yaron brings to life the many individuals and communities undermined by the mainstream media, interwoven with the story of their families and her own. Each story is a tile composing the very mosaic of Israel and the region itself, imprinted on the history of the country and humankind.
Yaron humanizes each of the victims with the dignity they deserve; I could almost see their faces—the smiles then sorrow of the children, the amnesty and anguish of the families, and the legacies that Israel’s eldest sought out, and were stripped from this world still seeking.
I am left asking myself many questions: about the conflict and its future, about human nature and its ability to change. Most of all, I turned the last few pages with a visceral yearning to visit the sites of the massacre to pay my respects—and somehow, honor those 100 and more human stories with the same respect which Yaron honored them
Yaron brings to life the many individuals and communities undermined by the mainstream media, interwoven with the story of their families and her own. Each story is a tile composing the very mosaic of Israel and the region itself, imprinted on the history of the country and humankind.
Yaron humanizes each of the victims with the dignity they deserve; I could almost see their faces—the smiles then sorrow of the children, the amnesty and anguish of the families, and the legacies that Israel’s eldest sought out, and were stripped from this world still seeking.
I am left asking myself many questions: about the conflict and its future, about human nature and its ability to change. Most of all, I turned the last few pages with a visceral yearning to visit the sites of the massacre to pay my respects—and somehow, honor those 100 and more human stories with the same respect which Yaron honored them
September 18, 2024
Wow. I have never cried so much reading a book.
This book is heartbreaking and painful to read but everyone needs to read this. These are the real stories of people who were attacked unprovoked, wether it was in their own homes or dancing at a music festival. Hamas doesn't differentiate if you’re American, Canadian, Israeli, they just wanted to kill, kidnap and rape.
This book only tells a fraction what people went through on October 7th, but it is so important to read and to continue telling their stories.
Thank you to Lee Yaron, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This comes out on September 24, 2024.
This book is heartbreaking and painful to read but everyone needs to read this. These are the real stories of people who were attacked unprovoked, wether it was in their own homes or dancing at a music festival. Hamas doesn't differentiate if you’re American, Canadian, Israeli, they just wanted to kill, kidnap and rape.
This book only tells a fraction what people went through on October 7th, but it is so important to read and to continue telling their stories.
Thank you to Lee Yaron, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This comes out on September 24, 2024.
October 6, 2024
I’m not sure I will ever be able to fully process the events that led to this book or even the words within the pages but Lee Yaron does a beautiful job of putting pen to paper. I would argue that this book is written void of emotion, and yet, is still able to pack a gut wrenching punch to your soul. I cannot emphasize enough how important these stories are. May the memories of these individuals and each and every victim of this tragedy be a blessing.
January 7, 2025
"If the deaths of 10/7 can be treated historically, in terms modern and factual, then Israel, too, can be treated as modern and factual, and inquests can be made into its failures, and policy solutions to its problems can be found; fanaticism can be de-incentivized, and through compromise even the most intransigent of enemies can be turned into neighbors, even the neighboring states."
Former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain shared equal sentiments with Nazi Germany. And because of that one sentence near the back of her well written account, I was unable to rate her book any higher.
Ms. Yaron's account from the survivors of the Hamas attack on Israel on October seventh was thoroughly researched and balanced.
Ms. Yaron, furthermore, well researched the history of the State of Israel and the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust.
Former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain shared equal sentiments with Nazi Germany. And because of that one sentence near the back of her well written account, I was unable to rate her book any higher.
Ms. Yaron's account from the survivors of the Hamas attack on Israel on October seventh was thoroughly researched and balanced.
Ms. Yaron, furthermore, well researched the history of the State of Israel and the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust.
October 16, 2024
I often say I read for escapism, but there are those rare times where a book comes out and demands to be read for the weight it carries. 10/7 by Lee Yaron is one of those books. This book is not one-size-fits-all—it highlights the individual experiences of a collective tragedy.
Listening to this book was not easy, much like a book about the Holocaust. But while it's not an enjoyable experience, it's an important one. We must bear witness to the tragedy that unfolded on October 7th. It’s not political; it’s human nature.
May the memories of each victim be a blessing.
Listening to this book was not easy, much like a book about the Holocaust. But while it's not an enjoyable experience, it's an important one. We must bear witness to the tragedy that unfolded on October 7th. It’s not political; it’s human nature.
May the memories of each victim be a blessing.
March 19, 2025
Wow. This truly left me speechless. I was SOBBING. The fact that this is real life is gut wrenching.
I have genuinely never felt so strongly about a collection of pages and words before , and then I stumbled upon this.
Lee Yaron beautifully communicates the stories of hostages, solders, temporary workers, grandmothers, children, affected by the October 7th massacre.
Page 142 absolutely broke me. Page 185 left my mouth gaping open. Page 259 had me feeling hysterical.
Everybody needs to read this. It’s so important.
I have genuinely never felt so strongly about a collection of pages and words before , and then I stumbled upon this.
Lee Yaron beautifully communicates the stories of hostages, solders, temporary workers, grandmothers, children, affected by the October 7th massacre.
Page 142 absolutely broke me. Page 185 left my mouth gaping open. Page 259 had me feeling hysterical.
Everybody needs to read this. It’s so important.
October 7, 2024
This is a deeply moving book about the genocidal terrorist attack on the Jewish people by the evil Hamas one year ago today. It evokes a lot of emotion- anguish, heartbreak, anger, disgust, and more.
I highly recommend reading this book, most especially those who make the claim that they care about the Palestinians.
I highly recommend reading this book, most especially those who make the claim that they care about the Palestinians.
February 9, 2025
This book took me about 4 months to read because I couldn't emotionally handle more than a chapter at a time. It was a gut wrenching portrayal of a number of victims of the October 7th massacres. This book is not political at all. But it's intense and graphic. I recommend buying it and reading it a bit at a time, as I did. It's an important way to bear witness to the atrocities.
October 3, 2024
It feels wrong giving this compilation of experiences and stories a rating. But I think every single human being should read this. It’s honest and real and is jarring and heartbreaking. It’s imperative the world opens their eyes about what occurred in Israel on October 7. Never again.
January 2, 2025
A must read for everyone.
Yaron tells the stories of survivors of the 10/7 terrorist attack in Israel.
I put this one off for so long because I knew it was going to be an incredibly heavy read and absolutely destroy me. It completely wrecked me multiple times, and I had to pause frequently because I could not stop crying.
Yaron handled the absolute toughest topics with the utmost care as she told the stories of those who survived 10/7. She heard firsthand accounts of those who survived but were not kidnapped on 10/7, and from multiple people who were kidnapped by Hamas on 10/7 and later released.
This book is truly just every sad & angry emotion you can experience. The emotional, mental, and physical ramifications that these beautiful humans will have to live with for the rest of their lives is devastating and heartbreaking.
If this one isn't on your TBR, it needs to be.
📍Israel & Gaza
✨Representation: honestly there are too many to name because Israel is so diverse, but both Jewish & SWANA
‼️Content: antisemitism; hate crime; terrorist attack; kidnapping; rape; sexual assault; murder; violence; graphic on page death, multiple times
Yaron tells the stories of survivors of the 10/7 terrorist attack in Israel.
I put this one off for so long because I knew it was going to be an incredibly heavy read and absolutely destroy me. It completely wrecked me multiple times, and I had to pause frequently because I could not stop crying.
Yaron handled the absolute toughest topics with the utmost care as she told the stories of those who survived 10/7. She heard firsthand accounts of those who survived but were not kidnapped on 10/7, and from multiple people who were kidnapped by Hamas on 10/7 and later released.
This book is truly just every sad & angry emotion you can experience. The emotional, mental, and physical ramifications that these beautiful humans will have to live with for the rest of their lives is devastating and heartbreaking.
If this one isn't on your TBR, it needs to be.
📍Israel & Gaza
✨Representation: honestly there are too many to name because Israel is so diverse, but both Jewish & SWANA
‼️Content: antisemitism; hate crime; terrorist attack; kidnapping; rape; sexual assault; murder; violence; graphic on page death, multiple times
October 23, 2024
This heart-wrenching, intimate collection of firsthand accounts from those affected by the October 07, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel is essential reading. The book captures the intense fear, pain, and loss experienced during and after the attack. Yaron’s objective and impartial storytelling provides a face to the victims, making this tragedy deeply personal and shedding light on the human cost of violence and war. Each story captures the raw emotions, courage, heartbreak, and resilience of survivors, victims, and their families.
October 7, 2024
Broken, broken, broken.
Read
October 21, 2024I don't think that I can bring myself to "rate" this book--not right now, anyway.
September 25, 2024
10/7, 100 human stories by Lee Yaron, weather on the Gaza Strip heading to the Dead Sea or just living in the Ukraine the stories of the atrocities put on people just trying to live their every day life is a travesty. I noticed this book has many one and two star ratings with no reviews and I have a gut feeling the really rating the author‘s opinion as a post to the great due diligence she did and telling the stories that we wouldn’t have heard any other way. Because I don’t get how anyone can read the story of Romy and her little sister witnessing their parents deaths
And everything the six-year-old went through to try and save her sister as well as Aiden an orphan Who at 16 thought he was going to die all because people didn’t like where he lived. when you bomb a kite show where the kites are flown high enough to let people in other countries know they’re doing it for unity or you go to music festival and shoot children whose religion you don’t even know for certain there’s something wrong with you so many people volunteer to get these dead children and adults back to their loved ones, after identifying them throughout the night under threat of more bombs and gunfire into rate this book one or two stars either you didn’t rate it, again you’re just rating the authors opinion. This is a sad book and what makes it even sadder is that it is all true and it all happened. Imagine sending your child to Coachella and people just swarm The festival and start killing everyone because they might be a certain religion. the stories were sad and devastating. The only thing I ever read equally as bad were stories about the holocaust. An most of these victims came from families who fled other places because they were being persecuted there… I read a review criticizing the author for not humanizing the people doing these killings and then my opinion that is assuming a lot to say they have any humanity at all. There’s two sides to every story that is true but I cannot imagine anyone rationalizing the actions in this book that was so well written and well told. They’re doing this for land in the twisted version of their religion nothing more. I would love to read something that makes these atrocities make sense. Just because a lot of people believe it doesn’t make it right millions of people agreed with Hitler and we still put a stop to that. #NetGalley, #SaintMartin’sPress, #LeeYaron, #10/7,
And everything the six-year-old went through to try and save her sister as well as Aiden an orphan Who at 16 thought he was going to die all because people didn’t like where he lived. when you bomb a kite show where the kites are flown high enough to let people in other countries know they’re doing it for unity or you go to music festival and shoot children whose religion you don’t even know for certain there’s something wrong with you so many people volunteer to get these dead children and adults back to their loved ones, after identifying them throughout the night under threat of more bombs and gunfire into rate this book one or two stars either you didn’t rate it, again you’re just rating the authors opinion. This is a sad book and what makes it even sadder is that it is all true and it all happened. Imagine sending your child to Coachella and people just swarm The festival and start killing everyone because they might be a certain religion. the stories were sad and devastating. The only thing I ever read equally as bad were stories about the holocaust. An most of these victims came from families who fled other places because they were being persecuted there… I read a review criticizing the author for not humanizing the people doing these killings and then my opinion that is assuming a lot to say they have any humanity at all. There’s two sides to every story that is true but I cannot imagine anyone rationalizing the actions in this book that was so well written and well told. They’re doing this for land in the twisted version of their religion nothing more. I would love to read something that makes these atrocities make sense. Just because a lot of people believe it doesn’t make it right millions of people agreed with Hitler and we still put a stop to that. #NetGalley, #SaintMartin’sPress, #LeeYaron, #10/7,
December 26, 2024
The introduction to this book was very real and filled with emotion. The stories contained within were heart-wrenching to read. These firsthand accounts of loss and devastation were tough to read, but really opened my eyes to yet another side of this ongoing conflict.
There was an obvious side to this book, and yet there was still the odd comment that demonstrated an unbiased look at the myriad starting points and reasons for this continuing unrest. I appreciated the views shared within its pages.
So many of the anecdotes from that day were absolutely horrifying. The terrible acts committed have certainly overshadowed any attempts to gain sympathy for their cause from the majority of the world. It is such an awful situation all the way around, and as usual, it is often the innocents who suffer the worst.
I am thankful to have read this book and gained yet another level of empathy and understanding.
There was an obvious side to this book, and yet there was still the odd comment that demonstrated an unbiased look at the myriad starting points and reasons for this continuing unrest. I appreciated the views shared within its pages.
So many of the anecdotes from that day were absolutely horrifying. The terrible acts committed have certainly overshadowed any attempts to gain sympathy for their cause from the majority of the world. It is such an awful situation all the way around, and as usual, it is often the innocents who suffer the worst.
I am thankful to have read this book and gained yet another level of empathy and understanding.
January 19, 2025
This is the second book I read about October 7th from the perspective of a Haaretz journalist. I found this one harder to read than The Gates of Gaza, but it is still an important read. I also wish the author, who is highly critical of her government, made it clear to her Western audience that "right-wing" and "left-wing" mean something very different in Israeli politics vs. American politics.
November 20, 2024
10/7: 100 Human Stories by Lee Yaron is a poignant look at specific stories that occurred on 10/7 in Israel. This book was so incredibly hard to read. It broke my heart and made me cry at the helpless people and their gruesome deaths. I received a digital of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
November 29, 2024
This is a very sad book. It is a book about what happened in Gaza at the music festival. The media certainly didn’t talk about all this stuff. I think all those protesters who support Palestine really need to read this book and learned what really happened! It is the saddest thing ever!
December 12, 2024
A way to put names and faces and their stories to the many who were killed or hurt by Hamas on 10/7/23 and beyond. Although it is a quick read, Yaron does a beautiful job of bringing people to life and helps the world heal a little.
October 3, 2025
This book is one of the most comprehensive anthologies you’ll read about October 7, 2023- the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Lee Yarbon is a journalist Haaretz, Israel’s oldest newspaper and after October 7th she used her journalistic skills to compile the stories of at least 100 survivors, the bereaved, and first responders. The stories go deeper than just their lives on Oct. 7. Each profile is a comprehensive picture as to who they were before that horrific day.
This truly reads as an oral history and while the book is hard and heavy, it is likely the most importantly telling of what occurred on October 7th and how it affected everyone regardless of where they were when Hamas invaded Israel.
This truly reads as an oral history and while the book is hard and heavy, it is likely the most importantly telling of what occurred on October 7th and how it affected everyone regardless of where they were when Hamas invaded Israel.
October 22, 2025
This book is extremely intense and graphic (some sections more than others, the section about the Nova Festival was particularly difficult.) The detail of so many of these stories is so painful but so important. Every victim of October 7th had a story that is worth telling and this book aims to tell many of those stories. This book does suffer a bit by being written too early before many details were filled in (though it was especially poignant hearing the story of Bipin Joshi right after his body was returned from Gaza to Israel) and I could do without the political commentary. I listened on audio which was pretty good, though there were a sprinkling of pronunciation issues.
August 4, 2025
Definitely one of the most difficult books I have ever read...Lee Yaron did a tremendous amount of research to learn details of those people murdered by the Gaza invasion on 10/7. The murdered people were from many different parts of the world, as well as native Israelis, yearning for a better life. People and their relatives were named. Their mochavs and kibutzim also were described in detail. Some of them worked together with Palestinians as an attempt to move towards mutual understanding and peace.
I found myself needing to move away from the book many times to be able to handle the deep emotions aroused; I must admit to being tearful numerous as well. But the truth must be told.
I found myself needing to move away from the book many times to be able to handle the deep emotions aroused; I must admit to being tearful numerous as well. But the truth must be told.
October 13, 2025
שלום read from Yom Kippur to today the day the last living hostages should be freed ... may the memory of October 7 2023 Jewish Arabs souls , Israeli martyrs of the 21st century be a blessing for the nation and the state of Israel ... our life feel small and meaningless in front of this level of hate ...
December 4, 2024
Author Lee Yaron, a reporter for the progressive Israeli newspaper Haaretz, offers an exhaustive account of the lives (and ultimately deaths) of some of the victims of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack by Hamas. There is a diverse range of people profiled in the book — ranging from left wing peace activists to hard line right wingers as well as Israeli Arabs and foreign guest workers and so on.
The story is told in exhaustive and heartbreaking detail so it’s not exactly a light read. I enjoyed learning about the different kinds of Jewish voices and sects so the depictions felt authentic.
Seeing as how the author is progressive, she is also cognizant that the response to the October 7 attacks has unleashed horrific and unnecessary suffering on the part of Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire of this war as well as the wider displacement and brutal treatment Palestinians have felt ever since 1948.
So the book definitely has sympathies for Israel and Jewish suffering, it is also opposed to the hard right stance of the Netanyahu government so I appreciated that too.
I’ve got some other books on my shelf offering varying perspectives on the Israel/Palestine conflict so I’ll be interested to see how it compares with the rest of the stuff on my list.
The story is told in exhaustive and heartbreaking detail so it’s not exactly a light read. I enjoyed learning about the different kinds of Jewish voices and sects so the depictions felt authentic.
Seeing as how the author is progressive, she is also cognizant that the response to the October 7 attacks has unleashed horrific and unnecessary suffering on the part of Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire of this war as well as the wider displacement and brutal treatment Palestinians have felt ever since 1948.
So the book definitely has sympathies for Israel and Jewish suffering, it is also opposed to the hard right stance of the Netanyahu government so I appreciated that too.
I’ve got some other books on my shelf offering varying perspectives on the Israel/Palestine conflict so I’ll be interested to see how it compares with the rest of the stuff on my list.
December 7, 2024
Needed
Difficult to read but essential for us the "outside" Jews. They are unfortunately several books about October 07, but this one is different bc it gives us a context , an history lesson , as well . the how and why it all comes to that day
Thank you Lee Yaron for your courage
Difficult to read but essential for us the "outside" Jews. They are unfortunately several books about October 07, but this one is different bc it gives us a context , an history lesson , as well . the how and why it all comes to that day
Thank you Lee Yaron for your courage
June 9, 2024
This is a difficult book to rate. It does so many important things like tell the stories of so many people from so many different backgrounds (bedouins, international farm workers, etc) that were affected by October 7th that haven’t been told. It is a harrowing recounting of events that captures the confusion and fear of the many hours as the attack unfolded.
But it does some things that aren’t good and are reductive as well, as with any book from any side of this regional “conflict”. There are some misleading statements (especially about post-10/7 protests around the world) and a simplistic, possibly dehumanizing way of talking about the Hamas perpetrators of the attack (not that they deserve sympathy but unfortunately they are human at the end of the day). Humanizing the victims of this horrific attack at the cost of dehumanizing the other side seems contradictory.
Overall I think this book is extremely important and a crucial text in understanding what has happened and continues to happen in the aftermath of October 7th, but as with all books on this topic, it should be read with a careful and critical eye.
But it does some things that aren’t good and are reductive as well, as with any book from any side of this regional “conflict”. There are some misleading statements (especially about post-10/7 protests around the world) and a simplistic, possibly dehumanizing way of talking about the Hamas perpetrators of the attack (not that they deserve sympathy but unfortunately they are human at the end of the day). Humanizing the victims of this horrific attack at the cost of dehumanizing the other side seems contradictory.
Overall I think this book is extremely important and a crucial text in understanding what has happened and continues to happen in the aftermath of October 7th, but as with all books on this topic, it should be read with a careful and critical eye.
October 14, 2024
This book is certainly intended for audiences unfamiliar with the Israel/Palestine conflict, which is not a knock at all, some information was just repetitive for me as a history informed reader.
Yaron does an amazing job weaving past and present in order to culminate in the October 7 terror attack in Israel. Her writing is beautiful, the stories are heart wrenching. Reading these stories of people who's faces and names we've all seen and know, who's endings we know, was difficult. Reading this book you still hope against all logic that everyone will be saved at the last minute.
From the Nova musical festival, Ashkelon, Kibbutz Be'eri, Negev, Kibbutz Alumim, and an attempted trip to the Dead Sea, you see the wide spread terror and vicious acts of Hamas against the Israelis. You're also given a glimpse into Israel's repose failure to the invasion. There's a lot to learn from this powerful and poignant piece.
Yaron does an amazing job weaving past and present in order to culminate in the October 7 terror attack in Israel. Her writing is beautiful, the stories are heart wrenching. Reading these stories of people who's faces and names we've all seen and know, who's endings we know, was difficult. Reading this book you still hope against all logic that everyone will be saved at the last minute.
From the Nova musical festival, Ashkelon, Kibbutz Be'eri, Negev, Kibbutz Alumim, and an attempted trip to the Dead Sea, you see the wide spread terror and vicious acts of Hamas against the Israelis. You're also given a glimpse into Israel's repose failure to the invasion. There's a lot to learn from this powerful and poignant piece.
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