October 7 heroes: At 8:40 I wrote "Nahal Oz has been captured’"

Maya Braun, a 20-year-old fighter, revealed today (Wednesday) on Kan Reshet Bet’s "Seder Yom" the incredible story of her observation team at Nahal Oz on October 7. Braun, who completed a year-and-eight-month training course in a special unit, described: “I found an incredible unit that gives strength and the ability to see what fighters in the field cannot, a kind of human drone collecting intelligence.”

The night before the battle, October 6, Braun recalled a seemingly calm atmosphere: “We ate dinner in the dining hall, in a good holiday mood.” No one foresaw the horrors about to unfold. At 6:30 a.m., everything changed. “We heard booms, shelling. We had less than 15 seconds to react,” she recounted. The team, consisting of four female fighters and their commander Eden Nimri z"l, found themselves on the front line of defense.

When the first terrorist arrived, “he came in with a bandana, Hamas uniform, a beard, and eyes full of evil. He was surprised to see female fighters with weapons.” The team opened fire, delaying the terrorists’ advance. After hours of combat, with ammunition depleted and grenades thrown at them, they were forced to hide in a room. “We said to each other, ‘I love you,’ strengthening one another,” she shared. Their bond was their source of strength.

Braun was hit by shrapnel in her head and legs, yet her spirit remained unbroken. “I underwent surgeries, occupational therapy, shrapnel removal from my head, and physiotherapy,” she said. Within less than two months, she chose to return to combat. “I entered Khan Younis on December 18. That was my victory moment,” she stated. “They didn’t break my spirit. I’m continuing Eden’s path.”

The trauma of losing Eden Nimri z"l, the team’s commander, was especially heavy. “She was our commander,” she said. “When we passed by the shelter, we stopped to look at it and say thank you.” Braun criticized the military investigation, claiming it contained “lots of mistakes, errors, and inaccuracies,” stressing the importance of hearing the voices of the surviving fighters.

Kann News contributed to this article.