Without waiting for an official summons from the army on the morning of the attack, Major General (res.) Yisrael Ziv (66) made his way to the south of Israel immediately upon learning about the unusual events in the communities of the Gaza border. He joined a unit of soldiers at the Black Arrow monument and from there continued to the Miflasim kibbutz, joining his long-time comrade, Major General Noam Tibon. Tivon split away from the group, aiming for Nahal Oz, where his son and family were trapped. Ziv continued to Be’eri and the area of the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Reim and Kibbutz Be’eri, and under live fire from the terrorists began rescuing families – some with children – that were trapped in their safety rooms. After several hours, he continued to the area of the music festival and began checking car after car in hopes of finding survivors. Several of the frightened party-goers began coming out of their hiding places under bushes and among the trees where they have been hiding for hours. In the aftermath Ziv recounts painfully: “I’ve seen many battle arenas and disaster areas in my lifetime. I’ve never seen something like this. Never”.
