An American-Israeli teenager who watched Hamas militants murder his two parents has revealed how he hid under a bloody cloth and “prayed” that they would not return to kill him too.
Rotem Mathias, 16, was with his parents Deborah and Shlomi and his siblings on a kibbutz in southern Israel when Hamas militants stormed the area on Saturday.
He and his parents tried to barricade themselves in a house, but the gunmen fired bullets and threw grenades.
Deborah, desperate to protect him, threw her body on top of his and had to bear the brunt of the militants’ gunfire. Both she and her husband were killed.
In an interview with ABC’s James Longman that aired further Good morning America On Wednesday, Rotem described how he hid afterward, fearing the gunmen would come back for him.
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Rotem Mathias, 16, was with his parents Deborah and Shlomi and his siblings on a kibbutz in southern Israel when Hamas militants stormed the area on Saturday. He is shown with his older sister in an Israeli hospital
Rotem’s parents Shlomi and Deborah Mathias were killed by the gunmen in front of him. Deborah threw her body on top of her son’s to protect him from gunfire
“The terrorists shot the door open.” They throw a grenade or something that explodes.
“The last thing my dad said was he lost his arm and then my mom died on top of me,” he said from his hospital bed.
“I just stopped breathing and lowered my breathing as much as I could. I didn’t move. I was shocked. I didn’t make any noise.
“And I prayed for every god – I didn’t really care which god – I just prayed for one god that they wouldn’t find me,” he said.
The militants returned and set fire to the kibbutz – a tactic used by the Nazis during the Holocaust to find out if there were any survivors of their shootings.
Rotem managed to escape both her shots and the flames and was reunited with other family members.
Rotem, his sister and her grandfather Ilan Troen. He said he prayed to “every god” that he wouldn’t be found
Ilan said the militants used tactics not seen since the Holocaust. “This is so important.” They wanted to confirm that they had killed everyone, so they set the fire – this is a story that comes from the Holocaust – they set the fire to make sure that if there were any survivors, they would disappear and they could murder them.”
‘They came back. This is so important – they wanted to make sure they had killed everyone, so they set the fire – this is a story that comes from the Holocaust – they set the fire to make sure that if there were any survivors, they would Fire left and could murder them. said Ilan Troen, Rotem’s grandfather.
In an earlier interview, he said the attack on civilians was “rehearsed and carefully planned.”
“This is not a normal war.” We were on the phone with Deborah when she was killed.
“We were talking to our grandson Rotem on the phone when he first lay under her body – and then found a way to escape.”
Oriya Ricardo, 26, was shot dead along with more than 250 others at the Supernova festival on Saturday
Lotan Abir, 24, a native of Israel, had just moved to Utah in 2022 to pursue his music career
Roey Weiser, 21, an Israeli-American soldier who saved the lives of 12 of his comrades after he was attacked by terrorists at his base on Saturday
“This is not a military event – this is not a military strike.” It is when a military attacks civilians. This attack was rehearsed, well planned and executed.
“Look at what they are doing, taking hostages.” From toddlers to senior citizens. “This is a human rights violation that truly reflects the kind of pogroms that led my grandparents to leave Europe for the safety of America.”
Troen is a professor at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Deborah was his daughter.
She met Shlomi while living in Israel, and the two settled in a kibbutz near the border, where she often organized music festivals.
Troen said his grandson will recover from the physical wounds of the attack but will be traumatized throughout his life.
“Rotem will be fine. His mother bore the brunt of the shot – it penetrated his stomach but missed all vital organs.
“He’s 16, he’s tough and resilient. “He’s survived this and will survive more, but the trauma of this will last his life.”
At least 14 Americans have been killed in the conflict so far, and another 20 remain missing.
Omer Neutra is also missing in Israel. The teenager is from Long Island
Natalie Ranaan was visiting her family with her mother Judith for the High Holidays when the attack began on Saturday. The relatives have not heard from either woman since then
Daniel Ben Sr., 34, was working at the Nova festival on Saturday when Hamas militants attacked
Judith Raanan and her daughter were also taken hostage. Their family in Illinois hasn’t heard from them since Saturday
Adrienne Neta, 66, is also missing. She is a nurse and midwife who moved to Israel from California in 1981
Many of them are young dual citizens fighting in the IDF.
Oriya Ricardo, 26, was shot dead along with more than 250 others at the Supernova festival on Saturday. Her body was identified yesterday after three days of agonizing waiting by her family.
Her mother, Hannie, who lives in New York City, appeared on MSNBC last night to pay tribute to her.
“It’s pretty hard to talk about her. She was, as her name is, light, she brought light wherever she came.
“A very happy girl who loved to party and was always at the center of everything.” She was the source of strength in my life.
“I have to speak about them and for them and for all the 1,200 young people who were massacred by Hamas.” They don’t have an ounce of humanity in them. These children went dancing and these children, these parties are peace people. They are all fighting for peace.
Missing: Sisters Norelle and Roya Manzuri, who previously went to school in Los Angeles, were at the Peace Festival on Saturday
20-year-old Laor Abramov is missing, as is 19-year-old Edan Alexander. Both are American-Israeli citizens and serve in the IDF
“Now they are gone, and among them is my youngest daughter,” she said.
The State Department confirmed yesterday that 14 U.S. citizens have been among the victims of the conflict so far. At least another 20 are missing. Some have been taken hostage by Hamas and are now feared to be in the Gaza Strip.
Many have dual American-Israeli citizenship, including young men who lost their lives fighting in the IDF.
They include 20-year-old Itay Glisko of Paramus, New Jersey and 21-year-old Roey Weiser. Utah native Lotan Abir, 24, was also killed while attending the music festival.
Twenty-year-old Laor Abramov from New Jersey is also missing. His family has not heard from him since he called them from a bomb shelter on Saturday.
Edan Alexander, 19, is also missing. The teenager serves in the IDF.
Their names join the growing list of Americans still missing. Yesterday, the families of others held a press conference in Tel Aviv, pleading with the Biden administration and the Israeli government for help.
In her interview on MSNBC, Hannie said the United States – and the world – must present a united front against Hamas.
“Every dollar you give to Hamas, every dollar you put there, goes to terror.” It doesn’t benefit the poor Arab people who live in Gaza. They could have turned this place into a paradise if they had invested the billions they received from the EU and other organizations.
“If they had invested it in the people of Gaza, instead of bombs, and focused on getting rid of as many Israeli Jews as possible, maybe there could have been peace.” The only thing I have with these monsters, these inhuman beings can compare are the Nazis.
“The same people.” The world needs to know and the world needs to fight them.
“I know Israel bombed Gaza, but we never start.” We always answer. I feel for these Palestinians. I feel sorry for them, but they are hostages in the hands of Hamas, Iran and all these terrorists.
“They have no other focus in life than to kill as many as possible.” When they’re done with the Jews, they’ll bring in the Americans. They already did it on September 11th.
“This massacre is our 9/11,” she said.
Another mother whose sons were kidnapped got angry at MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell for asking her what she thought of Israel’s retaliation.
“I can’t be compassionate anymore.” “I can’t have any sympathy for animal people – well, they’re not real people – who came into my house, broke everything, stole everything, took my children out of their bedrooms and put them in brought the Gaza Strip,” Renana Gomeh said.
Her two sons, ages 12 and 16, were kidnapped from their home on Saturday.
The Biden administration has pledged unconditional support to Israel in its defense against Saturday’s attack.