On the morning of October 7, Oshri Tuito, 27, woke up early at his home in Sderot. He and his father, Eliyahu, enjoy fishing and would often go to Zikim beach together, but that day, Eliyahu felt too tired to join Oshri so Oshri took his fishing gear and drove to Zikim beach by himself. Oshri had barely managed to get his equipment out of the car when all hell broke loose. Sirens started blaring, rockets flew overhead, and terrorists came by boats from the sea, armed with machine guns and antitank missiles.
Oshri ran to a mobile shelter where others were also taking refuge, but safety was nowhere to be found. The terrorists threw grenades into the shelter, immediately murdering a father and son, and then began shooting with machine guns, taking aim at all who were alive. Oshri raised his hands to shield himself and was hit by a bullet that went through his arm, into his eye socket, down his esophagus and into his stomach. Miraculously, he survived.
Oshri lay virtually comatose in the shelter under dead bodies, rousing enough to call for help. He quickly realized no one would come so he made himself stand up and head to his parked car, deciding to drive to the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. Unbelievably, he managed to start driving when he was stopped by a police car. The policemen couldn’t understand how Oshri was alive and able to drive and due to the bullet that pierced his throat, Oshri could barely speak.
Understanding the gravity of his situation, the police took Oshri in their car and drove frantically to the hospital. Upon arriving, Oshri lost consciousness and was taken into emergency surgery without any record of his identity. In the meantime, his family in Sderot were crazy with worry for him and fear for themselves. They knew nothing of what had happened and feared the worst. For over 30 hours, the Tuitos were sure Oshri was dead.
The following day, on October 8, while terrorists were still in Sderot and after a rocket directly hit the home of Oshri’s sister, Oshir’s father managed to get out of the city and came to Barzilai to search for Oshri. Based on the information Eliyahu shared, the hospital was able to identify Oshri, who was still unconscious, as his son. When Eliyahu was told that Oshri was gravely injured but still alive, he was filled with joy.
Today, the medical staff cannot believe how quickly Oshri has been recovering after multiple surgeries and seven blood transfusions but he has a long road ahead of him. The Tuito family and Oshri are grateful to those who helped Oshri survive and for the assistance from The Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT) and for the support from the global Jewish people.
The FVOT, often the first responder for families and individuals impacted by terror, distributes immediate grants within 24-48 hours of a direct attack, offering support for short-term needs and helping with long-term rehabilitation and post-trauma care. The Fund is made possible by the generosity of the Jewish Federations of North America / United Israel Appeal, Keren Hayesod, foundations and donors worldwide and people like you. Our aid is critical for victims’ immediate well-being and long-term recovery and we are currently operating and supporting more victims on a wider scale than ever before. To support the Fund, donate here.
