How a WhatsApp group became a lifeline amidst Hamas attack on Be'eri Kibbutz, Israel

In the early hours of Saturday, October 7th, terror struck Be’eri Kibbutz near the Gaza border, shattering the tranquillity of this close-knit community. What began as a seemingly ordinary day swiftly turned into a nightmare as Hamas militants infiltrated the kibbutz, leaving the residents trapped in their homes, frantically communicating their fear, desperation, and pleas for help through a WhatsApp group chat shared with the BBC. CORRECTION / Mourners duck for cover upon hearing sirens warning of incoming rockets during the funeral of Tom Godo, killed during the attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on the Kibbutz Kisuffim last week, in Kibbutz Naan near Tel Aviv on October 13, 2023. Thousands of people, both Israeli and Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, after Palestinian Hamas militants entered Israel in a surprise attack leading Israel to declare war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 8.(AFP) The incident began with a message: “We have a terrorist on the stairs. Call someone.” The mothers on the Be’eri mothers’ WhatsApp group found themselves at the epicentre of a day-long rampage, documenting their horror, confusion, and efforts to survive as Hamas gunmen roamed the streets, setting homes ablaze and taking hostages. Inside their
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