Capt. (res.) A, was taking part in the Nova rave when he heard the missile fire. He attempted to escape northward by car, but soon encountered a checkpoint manned by armed Hamas terrorists. While other revelers screamed that they had to find cover from the missiles, he understood the greater threat and ran towards the orchards. Thanks to his resourcefulness and navigation skills, he gathered a group of about 200 young people and led them in the direction of Ofakim. At a certain point, two police officers joined them. They made their way through the wadis and hid behind bushes, maintaining constant movement. Some ate fruit they found in the orchards and others drank water from the muddy puddles. Upon hearing that Ofakim was not a safe destination, the group redirected towards Moshav Patish, and as they approached, moshav residents arrived in vans to take them into the moshav to safety. They were taken to Be’er Sheva in the afternoon, in Eshkol Regional Council bulletproof buses. A few days later, Capt. A reported to his unit for reserve duty in the Arrow formation.
