Journalists Recall Heroism and Trauma Three Years After October 7
Three years after October 7, journalists who covered the massacre share testimonies of transitioning from reporting to rescuing civilians under fire, preserved by the "710 Testimony" project.
Three years since the October 7 massacre, journalists and field crews who covered the events have shared harrowing accounts of how they transitioned from reporting the news to rescuing civilians under fire. Their testimonies have been preserved by the "710 Testimony" project, a dedicated center documenting the human toll of the October 7 attacks.
Reporters Turned Rescuers Under Fire
Among those who documented the horrific events is Channel 13 news photographer Daniel Hajbi. While deployed in the south, Hajbi found himself trapped at a police checkpoint while desperately trying to coordinate the rescue of friends fleeing the onslaught. Amidst the chaos, he encountered numerous wounded civilians.
"At first I filmed, and then I realized there are wounded people here, people screaming and crying for help... There is a moment when you have to be a human being."
Omri Maniv, an investigative reporter for Channel 12, documented his journey south while leaving behind a month-and-a-half-old infant. Broadcasted from the Re'im area, reporters faced immediate mortal peril, navigating sniper fire and witnessing unimaginable devastation before many were subsequently called up for reserve duty.
The Early Warnings and Psychological Toll
Asaf Pozailov, the southern correspondent for Kan, reported on a suspicious Hamas drill simulating community infiltrations just four days before the onslaught. At 6:29 AM on October 7, he went on air to declare that this escalation was unlike any previous round of fighting.
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Documented testimonies exceeding 2,400 survivors and witnesses.
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Preservation efforts led by the "710 Testimony" archive.
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First-hand accounts detailing survival, rescue, and professional ethics under fire.
Pozailov recalled receiving frantic calls from community security coordinators and tracking hostages whose phones were geolocated in Khan Yunis. The psychological weight of witnessing piles of bodies and shielding grieving families from brutal realities remains an enduring scar for the journalistic community.
