Rotem Mathias
Kibbutz Holit after the massacre (Shir Azulay)
Rotem Mathias was 16 years old when Hamas terrorists attacked Kibbutz Holit on October 7, 2023. He was at home with his parents, Shahar and Shlomi Mathias.
The family went into their safe room.
Terrorists entered the house.
They reached the safe room, threw a grenade inside and opened fire.
Shahar and Shlomi were killed.
Rotem was wounded in the stomach.
His mother died on top of him.
The terrorists left the room without realizing that Rotem was still alive.
The last thing my dad said is he lost his arm and then my mom died on top of me.
Rotem Mathias tells his story in "The Children of October 7."
Alone in the House
At 8:01 a.m., Rotem sent his family a message.
He told them that his parents were dead. At first, some members of his family thought it was a joke.
But Rotem was still inside the house.
He was wounded and alone.
But it wasn't over.
The terrorists entered the house again.
Rotem hid beneath his mother's body.
When he could no longer breathe, he left the safe room and hid elsewhere in the house.
The terrorists had set the house on fire.
Rotem drank water and used pieces of fabric to try to treat his wounds.
The terrorists returned.
They did not find him.
I just stopped my breathing. I lowered it down as much as I possibly could. I didn't move. I was terrified. I didn't make any noise.
I tried not to breathe, I prayed to God, Allah, Jesus, Buddha. Just that they won't find me.
Rescue
Rotem remained alone in the house for hours.
At approximately 4:36 p.m., Israeli soldiers arrived.
He heard them outside and called out.
The soldiers evacuated him and took him for medical treatment.
Rotem survived.
His parents, Shahar and Shlomi Mathias, were killed in their home.
Sources
- 1.ABC News — Israeli-American teen recalls seeing parents die during Hamas attack
- 2.Kan 7.10.360 — The Mathias Family, Kibbutz Holit
- Associated Press — His parents shielded him from gunfire as Hamas attacked. He survived. They did not.
- Ilan Troen — Courtesy / photograph used for the Rotem Mathias story card
- Shir Azulay — Photograph of Kibbutz Holit, October 7, 2023, via Ynet