A remarkable story of heroism unfolded at Moshav Yakhini during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas onslaught on Israel, when Border Police officers prevented a major kidnapping operation, with assistance from the community’s security chief who opened gates remotely from his Thailand vacation, culminating in firefights that saved two women but cost Sgt. Ravit Assayag her life.
The attack began when Gaza terrorists breached the fence of the community near the Gaza Strip and gained control of routes to the town of Netivot. Their plans were thwarted by Border Police Deputy Chief Inspector Eran Kalimi, who rushed from his nearby home in Tekuma to engage the attackers in close combat.
In an unusual twist, the moshav’s security chief managed to assist the operation remotely, opening community gates via video call from his vacation in Thailand. The ensuing battles involving Border Police and Special Patrol Unit forces successfully prevented mass casualties, though the operation claimed the life of Border Policewoman Assayag during the rescue mission.
Despite terrorists hijacking Border Police vehicles and wounding multiple officers, all attackers were eliminated by noon, preventing additional massacres.
Kalimi, currently serving as commander of the Border Police Counter-Terrorism Warfare School, responded immediately from his residence in Moshav Tekuma, located approximately 1.9 miles from the attack site. Following the automatic alert broadcast at 6:52 a.m., Kalimi quickly assembled his team and established a staging area in the town of Sderot.
During his approach to Yakhini, Kalimi encountered what initially appeared to be a traffic accident involving a white vehicle positioned against the traffic island. Local civilians informed him that the driver had sustained shrapnel wounds with an entry point below the waist.
“While continuing toward Sderot under rocket alerts, I observed approximately 15 vehicles traveling against traffic at the city entrance,” Kalimi recounted. “The drivers were hunched over their steering wheels, and I immediately recognized something extraordinary was occurring.”
Turning around, Kalimi reached Yakhini’s main entrance gate. “Upon closer inspection, I determined the driver had been shot, not injured by shrapnel, indicating we were facing a hostile encounter,” he explained. “I then heard screaming from the gate area.” Kalimi deployed three officers while leaving a medic to assist the wounded driver.
“We advanced toward the gate and observed terrorists abducting two young women while holding Kalashnikov rifles to their heads,” Kalimi described. “We engaged the terrorists with direct fire, forcing them to abandon their hostages and return fire.”
Within 30 seconds of the engagement, Kalimi sustained his first gunshot wound to the right shoulder. “The attackers retreated into Yakhini, taking defensive positions behind the gate while deploying explosives and grenades against our position,” he detailed.
“The terrorists had positioned themselves defensively behind the main gate, but upon detecting us, they penetrated deeper into the community.” Despite receiving concentrated enemy fire, Kalimi’s forces maintained their positions until reinforcements could arrive.
A community resident informed the officers that no weapons were available within the settlement, strengthening their resolve to maintain defensive positions. During subsequent combat operations, an IDF officer, who had joined the fight. sustained gunshot wounds to his right wrist and shoulder, requiring immediate medical attention.
Even as ammunition dwindled, Kalimi’s team continued their resistance. Despite sustaining a second gunshot wound to his left leg, Kalimi refused evacuation orders. “We maintained our defensive positions for several additional minutes until reinforcement units arrived,” he stated.
Commander Y. from the Israel Police Counter-terrorism Unit, realizing the severity of the situation, mobilized his team. Working alongside a civilian volunteer, the team engaged the terrorists and eliminated three of them.
“Residents directed us to a house containing terrorists,” Y, continued. “As the unit commander and I approached the residential compound, coordinated fire erupted from multiple positions, including a nearby orchard and residential caravans.” The engagement resulted in leg wounds and pelvic shrapnel for the platoon commander, while seriously injuring a General Staff Reconnaissance Unit fighter.
Inspector Eden Cohen, a career Border Police officer serving with the Rotem Counter-Terrorism Division, deployed to Yakhini, where two teams were already engaged in combat operations. Community residents provided civilian drone capabilities.
“I identified an abandoned storage facility and decided to investigate a nearby warehouse structure,” Cohen described. Ravit Assayag accompanied Cohen to check the warehouse, a decision that proved fateful. “Two rounds struck Ravit, who fell immediately. Special forces subsequently entered and eliminated the terrorist,” Cohen recounted.
A., an officer in the Border Police Yaman counter-terrorism force, was ordered to drive his unit in an armored vehicle to Yakhini. “As we approached the community, the security coordinator, who was at that time on vacation in Thailand, opened the yellow gate for us,” A. said.
“We took our armored vehicle for a sweep to provoke the terrorists into shooting at us,” he described. “Two terrorists spotted us and fired. At some point, using the drone, we identified the terrorists and eliminated them.”
O., another Yamam officer, led his force in an attempt to rescue Assayag from the warehouse. “We began moving toward the door,” he recounted. “I identified Revital sitting on the ground, showing no sign of life. “Suddenly, I saw a terrorist lying on his back, waiting for me with his weapon ready. He was about a meter away. He fired a burst that grazed my cheek.”
“I shot him,” said O. “We killed him and extracted Revital.”
According to an IDF investigation, the terrorist force that was eliminated in Yakhini controlled the entire approach route in the area and carried out a killing spree from an ambush they set up on the road, murdering civilians in their vehicles.
Inspector Eden Cohen spoke about Assayag with pain and admiration. “From the unit’s perspective, she was special. You don’t see such a real fighter every day,” he said.
“Before enlistment, she played guitar for patients in hospitals and raised their morale. That’s exactly what she did in the unit. She would organize campfire evenings and play guitar. She didn’t give up on herself. She was a fighter by nature and showed everyone what it means to be a fighter. She served as a personal example.”
“Striving to engage the enemy was an important value for her. She wanted to be an officer. Thanks to her and thanks to the force that fought in Yakhini, we prevented an entire massacre in the community. Physically, with her body, she protected the place.”
Originally published by Israel Hayom.