Holocaust Survivor Narrowly Escapes Hamas Attack, Heard 'Machine Gun Fire' and Rockets
A Holocaust survivor detailed his experience of fleeing from Hamas' attack.
Oct. 17 2023, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
A Holocaust survivor narrowly escaped the attack in Israel by Hamas gunmen that has been compared to the "savagery" witnessed under the Nazi regime, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Yaakov Weissmann, 83, was forced to flee his home village in southern Israel after Hamas militants infiltrated the Supernova music festival celebrating "friends, love, and infinite freedom" held near the Israel-Gaza border on October 7.
The 83-year-old had survived the Holocaust as a child.
At least 260 were left dead after their paragliders touched down in the sand, and others surrounded attendees on foot and in vehicles. Many were slaughtered and others were taken hostage.
Israel has since declared war on Hamas, firing at Gaza with air strikes.
At least 2,778 people have been killed and 9,700 wounded in Gaza, according to the local Health Ministry. More than 1,400 Israelis have also been killed.
Israel's vow to "destroy" Hamas must be fulfilled, he declared. "Then I will calm down."
Weissmann's village Netiv Haassara is a short proximity from the border with the Gaza Strip, noting he first heard rockets go off at around 6:00 a.m. that fateful Saturday, which fell on the Sabbath, known as the Jewish day of rest.
The 83-year-old had survived the Holocaust as a child hiding with a non-Jewish family in France, revealing this experience was just as haunting.
His father had been arrested by Nazi-allied French militia in 1944 and deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp, according to media outlet France 24.
Weissman said he heard rockets and machine gun fire on October 7.
A non-Jewish family took Weissmann and his sister in near the southeastern city of Lyon, pretending they were their nephew and niece who paid a visit.
Years after surviving the Holocaust, Weissman said he flew into action when Hamas unleashed their brutal attack. "Rockets, rockets and booms. Well it's not the first time," said Weissmann, who had a pistol in hand while seeking safety.
He and his wife followed the drill to get into shelter, securing the door and window within a matter of seconds.
He was taken in by a non-Jewish family in France during World War II.
"Then I heard, with my wife, we heard machine gun fire. When we heard this, we [knew] there had been an infiltration of enemy forces," he said. The sound was devastating "because as soon as there is gunfire, I know there are deaths."
Weissman was relieved to find out that his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were alive after emerging from shelter. However, 20 people in his village were killed, many of whom he knew.
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"I don't want revenge, but I want the people responsible to pay," said Weissmann, noting that what he wants for Hamas is to "eradicate them from the map."
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Israel's vow to "destroy" Hamas must be fulfilled, he declared. "Then I will calm down."
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