‘They’re here. They’re burning us. We’re suffocating’: Horrific final texts of Israeli-American parents murdered by Hamas
13 October 2023, 07:52 | Updated: 13 October 2023, 10:44
An Israeli-American family killed in their home by Hamas on Saturday texted relatives to say they were ‘okay’ in their shelter - before moments later sending harrowing messages describing their final moments.
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The family of six, Johnny Siman Tov 36, his wife Tamar, 35, and their three children Omer and twins Arbel and Shachar, as well as Johnny’s mother Carol, 70 were all killed in the Hamas invasion on Saturday.
They had fled to safe rooms in their separate houses during the attack on the Nir Oz kibbutz near the Gaza Strip.
As the terrorists approached, Tamar sent messages to friends, saying: “Hi guys, we got into the shelter in our house, we are all going OK.”
But an hour later the texts stopped.
Johnny had texted his sister Ranae Butler, who lives in Israel: “They’re here. They’re burning us. We’re suffocating.”
Carol was shot dead in her own safe room.
One of the family’s friends, Yishai Lacob, posted on Facebook: “Our hearts are shattered.
“An entire family was killed by evil murderers who shot the children and parents simply because they were Jewish.
And this is just one story, among so many. It’s unbearable.”
Ranae Butler’s brother, Shachar, who was head of security for the kibbutz, was shot in the attack but is recuperating.
The Nir Oz kibbutz site is close to where the Supernova music festival took place - where 260 revellers were massacred.
The Nir Oz kibbutz was one of the worst hit sites near Gaza, with scores of people killed or taken hostage.
