Palace Residents Visit Ofakim and Pay Tribute to October 7 Heroes

Approximately 70 residents of Palace Modi’in and Palace Rishon LeZion, both part of the Azrieli Group's Palace senior-living network, took part in a special tour of the southern Israeli city of Ofakim, accompanied by Tali Hadad, a recipient of the President's Medal for Civilian Heroism for her actions during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

Hadad, a resident of Ofakim and a mother of six, is currently the mother of six children serving in the Israel Defense Forces, in both regular and reserve duty.

“I Had to Go Out and Help”

On the morning of October 7, Hadad was at home with her son Itamar, an IDF soldier, when the sound of gunfire spread through the city.

Itamar immediately left the house to help rescue civilians. His mother sent him off and then decided to join the effort.

Hadad got into her vehicle and, together with her daughter Meitav, drove toward the areas under attack.

When she arrived, the first wounded person she encountered was her own son.

After handing Itamar over to Magen David Adom medical teams, Hadad continued moving between areas under fire, transporting additional wounded people to safety.

According to the account of her actions, she personally evacuated 12 additional wounded people, repeatedly driving into dangerous areas despite the ongoing gunfire.

Her actions during the attack earned her national recognition and the President's Medal for Civilian Heroism.

A Different Perspective on October 7

During the Ofakim tour, Hadad shared her personal experience with the Palace residents and described the events of October 7 from the perspective of a civilian who found herself at the center of the fighting.

The visit provided participants with an opportunity to learn about the attack, the community's response and the experiences of residents who confronted the unprecedented violence.

For the Palace residents, the tour was also an opportunity to meet one of the civilians whose actions became part of the story of courage and rescue during the attack.

Visit to the Bibas Family Memorial

Following the tour of Ofakim, the group traveled to Tze'elim, where they visited a memorial dedicated to the Bibas family, who became one of the most widely recognized symbols of the October 7 tragedy and the hostage crisis.

The visit formed the second part of a day focused on remembrance, testimony and the human stories behind the events of October 7.

Combining History, Memory and Community

The tour was organized as part of the cultural and educational activities offered to residents of the Palace senior-living network.

The organizers said the journey was designed not only to visit locations connected with the events of October 7, but also to create an opportunity for residents to hear first-hand testimony from a civilian hero and to reflect on the courage displayed by ordinary Israelis during one of the country's darkest days.

For the participants, the day combined history, remembrance and personal testimony, connecting the older generation with some of the people and communities whose lives were profoundly changed by the events of October 7.