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An Israeli woman who survived the Hamas terror attack along with her family is celebrating “a great victory” after giving birth to a baby girl — whom she named Cami, which means “to rise.”
Ofir Balachsan, 31, her husband, Yuval, 31, and their 2-year-old son, Tai, were at home in Kibbutz Sufa when the terrorists launched their murderous rampage on Oct. 7.
She hid with Tai in a shelter while her husband, the commander of the kibbutz’s alert squad, battled the gunmen who had infiltrated the community, Ynet News reported.
Ofir spent the final months of her pregnancy in a hotel room in Eilat, where she gave birth to Cami, according to the outlet.
“Instead of sinking in despair, we rose, we are alive and we are OK,” she said.
The mom said she recalled worrying about her husband, young son, unborn child and her parents during the terrifying ordeal.
“With everything we’ve been through, an experience I still can’t digest, I knew she felt everything inside my belly. I had to stay calm for her,” Ofir told Ynet.
Although she is thankful to have survived, Ofir said the time spent in Eilat after being evacuated from the kibbutz was also a challenge.
“This period was very frustrating. All a woman wants before giving birth is stable ground, and when you don’t have that, you’re in very basic instability,” she recalled.
“All I thought about was that the baby would be born in the best possible way. Yes, it wasn’t the hospital where I planned to give birth, but still, it was exactly the birth I wanted,” Ofir continued.
“After Cami was born, they laid her on me and I cried out, it was a great victory,” she said.
“All I thought about was that the baby would be born in the best possible way. Yes, it wasn’t the hospital where I planned to give birth, but still, it was exactly the birth I wanted,” Ofir continued.
Ofir said many of their friends were killed or kidnapped during the attack.
“Three days after I gave birth, it all hit me. Until then, I was focused on pregnancy and childbirth, and after it was over, I had time to think. What if they would kill us? What if they would kidnap us? I can’t imagine that,” she said.
The family has moved to Ramat Gan in central Israel as the war with Hamas continues.
“We never imagined we’d live in a city, but, as Yuval says, we’ll make lemonade out of lemons. Right now, I can’t imagine going back to the kibbutz,” Ofir said.
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