Her 7th Features and What to Know

Now she was abducted with her husband from their kibs on the 7th of October during the Hamas Terra rampage. She was held in terra captivity in Gaza and was freed in the November hostage release deal more than a month later. She is Ron Bushtab Kht the woman who famously literally stood up to the masked terrorists who had held her captive. photographs of that moment went viral then a symbol of courage and strength. She was 36 years old at the time. Her husband Yev was murdered in terror captivity. Today for the first time Ron Bush K is speaking to English broadcast media and so it's a privilege to welcome Ron Bush joining us now from Israel.

Thank you very much. We so appreciate you speaking to us. And of course the whole country remembers that moment of courage and defiance when you looked evil in the eye on that day. But before we get there, take us back if you want to October 7th. first before I get to the 7th of October am I just Thank you and confess it's the first time I'm interviewing live with no makeup and but I have a very good friend here holding [snorts] my hand so I can take you back 6 in the red color red we dogs at the time all of them ran to the bedroom where I was that's why me and never made it to the safe room at first we thought it the usual misses. So usually hug wait in the safe room with five dogs and five cats. But this time we didn't let the dogs

stay in the bedroom alone. So we stay with them while lying to both of our families. We are in the safe room. a few minutes after everything began after all the missiles I picked through the window and I saw what I thought were two soldiers because they were dressed in the idea of uniform. Yes. And then my husband he saw carrying AK47 and RPG and he told me no this is not soldiers. So we found ourselves in a bedroom. We didn't even add room under the bed because we hide the dogs and the cats some of them.

I had a knife. I was very busy the moment we started hearing firearms around us inside the boots my instinct was call the people I love tell them I love you I'm surrounded there smoke every I love you sorry I got to almost all the important people to say goodbye good because even when 25 terrorist in my house I never st the thought being kidnapped be killed I just thought okay this is a situation instinctively I my husband my late husband was he suffered from CPTSD he served in Gaza So and he is very sensitive is gentle unlike me. So everything was to protect him to stay together. We managed to fight off together the first terrorist who came through the window. But after that we wooden door and 25 terrorist leaning.

So I just told them to stop locking the door. I drop the knife and let's lock our arms around each other. Don't let go. Because I feel Also I always planned on dying together. So he turned to me he told me he loved me and sorry because we killed in their door and they shirts off trying to separate us. while we one unit and a very heavy unit so took about terrorist to dr us and to put us on of Gaza civilians who came to rub to help so I laid on top of bodies I and they took us out of the we saw the smoke coming from everyone including our neighborhood was the center of the of the everything the kidnaps the killings everything when they took us out of the kibots I remember looking at the field and I saw a lot of civilians running towards

I was at is from coming to save us and then took another look and I saw my mine and bicycle which weighs about 70 kg being dragged Gaza eh a lot of bodies on the way but me our hands until we got to Gaza and was lower down to the tunnels. Hands together. You are the embodiment of true love and a true couple staying together the way you did. And I understand that in the terror tunnels you fought to stay together and you even came face to face with the epitome of evil. And what did that feel like? Actually I met him twice. We talked when I met him I had no idea talking to. I just realized it was very high up because the rest of the terrorist and our caps just melted when he was around. So I can say we have

two very interesting conversations. I can also say that when he shook my hand he kept his promise. was very interested in how we are doing how training us he got us medication which we didn't before he helped me get a fiveyeold girl a shower because she was in a bad shape. So what did he promise you exactly? He promised me medication for everyone in the location. We were being held. Yes. I ask for medication for everyone. I knew what everybody needed. for a shower even a bucket of cold water every few days and I asked for them to promise to flush the toilet which were being used by seven people and flushed once a day.

I don't know how long this prom h up because the cap over me like me anywh and like you said in the last three weeks of We were tortured and every two or three days they would come to the cage. would us toate for me to be with other women and the kids and for to be with all the older and which means all good all okay we stay here We stick together and it became sort of a game. We were the in Arabic he said mean crazy. So they created a special kind of hell for us. It's unimaginable hell. Tell us what it was like when you were told that you were going to be freed and that your husband was going to have to stay. I

know that you fought for a different outcome. And then not too long after that is that unprecedented defined moment when you stood up to those very serious terrorists. You visibly spoke back to them as you were handed over to that Red Cross team in Gaza. How did that moment feel for you? I'm gna tell you something about myself what you saw on that moment that's me that was me all along that's why I lost six teeth and broke my arm and broke I have three fractures in my rope marks I have scars from here.

All my legs also sc because we were in the cage there were bugs please all over us. We get showers for a month. We have toilet paper. We went through psychological torture and then physical me while being held and forced to watch. it took me a few months even more to realize I was sexually assaulted when I got to Gaza. Because when I got together they asked me to strip or search even though I was only wearing a pair of tights no bra and a t shirt and they told me to b down they didn't strip eh I was focused on keeping him safe on keeping Thank you.

I wan to think I wan to thank this amazing people surrounding me from all over Israel and the United States and all over the glob get so much love and I appreciate than you thank you for being with us thank you how much