THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: They were just two ordinary caregivers working in Israel, far away from their homes. But on October 7, when Hamas launched an offensive against Israel, the extraordinary display of bravery by Keralites Sabitha Baby and Meera Mohanan, which saved the lives of an elderly couple, turned them into heroes.
When Hamas militants entered Nir Oz Kibbutz, a town in Southern Israel, just 2km from the Gaza border, and stormed the house of Ram Shmoulic, 85, and Rahel, 76, the two home nurses working there successfully prevented them from harming the couple.
Sabitha, a native of Keezhapally in Kannur, and Meera, hailing from Peruva, Kottayam, held the shelter room’s iron door closed with all their strength for nearly five hours.
They did not budge even when the troopers tried to smash the door open with guns and other heavy objects. They were able to come out of the shelter room only after Israeli forces secured the area. By then, all their neighbours were either shot dead or taken hostage.
The duo did not realise the significance of their brave act until the elderly couple’s children — Itai and Dalit — posted about it on Facebook. As per reports, 180 of the around 400 residents in Nir Oz Kibbutz were either killed or taken hostages.
It was a harrowing experience in shelter room, says Sabitha
Sabitha and Meera could recall the horrifying experience only with a shudder. Speaking to TNIE over phone, Sabitha said Shmoulic and Rahel have four children, of whom two live in the vicinity. “We had an inkling that Israel would come under attack anytime soon. Hours before the ambush on the ill-fated day, Dalit had told us to ensure that Ammachi (Rahel), who is bedridden and on ventilator support, was shifted to the shelter room. Dalit had asked us to take our passports, patients’ diapers, urine pot, mobile phones, a pair of dresses and medicines in case of an evacuation,” Sabitha said.
“At 6.30am, we heard continuous siren. Once it’s heard, we’ve to enter the safety room within six seconds. Dalit asked us to lock the front and rear doors securely. She kept on giving directions over phone. We carried Appachan (Shmoulic), who can walk but is very weak due to sclerosis, to the shelter room. By 7.30am, loud noises were heard outside the shelter room. Hamas terrorists entered our house and started firing at the shelter room. At Dalit’s insistence, Meera and I, stood behind the iron door, and with all our might, we blocked it with our bodies,” recalled the 39-year-old.Meera further narrated the ordeal as Sabitha was at a loss of words. She said both of them stood behind the door until 1.30pm. “Fortunately, they could not destroy the iron door. God was with us, Appachan and Ammachi, said 34-year-old Meera.
She said that around 9am, they could hear some people shouting from outside the shelter room, “We’re here to save you, come out”. However, Meera and Sabitha did not open the door as they knew that the Hamas forces were trying to trick them. Dalit, who was still on call with them, urged them not to open the door of the shelter room.
“That time, the Hamas troops had not reached Dalit’s house. It was a harrowing experience. I called my family in Kannur, my husband, and two children asking them to pray for us. By 1.30pm, the Israeli Army reached and secured the area, after which we came out. We were shocked to see the house in a dilapidated state,” said Sabitha.
To their horror, they realised that Rahel’s two wheelchairs, kettle, few sovereigns of Sabitha’s gold and passports were stolen. Once they came out of the building, they realised that the town had become a concrete grave, with dead bodies scattered everywhere. The elderly couple and the caregivers were then shifted to a hospital.
“We were in the hospital for two days. Now we are in a care home. Appachan and Ammachi are doing well. Dalit, Itai and his friend Ayelet took our pictures and wrote about our adventure on Facebook which went viral,” said Meera.