Standing on the Hill. Courage When Peace Shatters: The Heroic Story of Ohad Drezman and Kibbutz Magen
- Dec 16, 2025
- 3 min read
For years, the dream was simple and human. That peace could be possible. That borders would quiet. That families could raise children without fear. October 7 shattered that dream in a single morning. What replaced it was not hatred, but clarity. When a community is attacked, survival is not a choice. It is a responsibility.
Ohad Drezman, Deputy Commander of the first response team of Kibbutz Magen, recounts those first terrifying hours with humility and precision. Early that morning, rockets began falling. He called his team. No one arrived. When he finally reached one of them on the phone, the report was chilling. Suspicious vehicles. Armed men. Something was wrong, but nothing was yet clear.
When Ohad reached the hill overlooking the Kibbutz, he saw two vehicles carrying twenty to thirty men wearing black vests. They looked like soldiers. In those moments, hesitation was not weakness. It was moral caution. He did not want to risk killing Israeli soldiers by mistake. They were only three defenders standing against what they did not yet understand.
The truth revealed itself when the fence was blown open. Doubt vanished. These were terrorists. The three men opened fire, and in doing so created an illusion of strength. The attackers did not know how many defenders they faced, and that uncertainty stopped them from advancing. That small tactical miracle became the front line that saved the Kibbutz.
For hours, the fighting continued. RPGs were fired. Vehicles exploded. Missiles struck trees just feet away. Sirens screamed, but there was nowhere to run. Ohad checked himself after a near miss. He was alive. That meant he had work to do. He called the army again and again. Each time, he was told to hold on. Help was coming in thrity minutes.
Six hours passed.
Six hours of holding the line with almost no backup. Six hours of fear, resolve, and responsibility. By the time the army finally arrived, there were no terrorists left in Magen. The Kibbutz was still standing. The miracle was not that no one was afraid. The miracle was that fear did not decide the outcome.
Inside, Ohad admits he was terrified. He told others they would win, while privately confronting the possibility that they might not. But this was his home. His family. His community. Some moments demand everything a person has. Including the willingness to give one’s life.
His message is simple and unsentimental. God helps those who help themselves. You do everything you can. You act. You protect. And only then does divine help enter the story.
This Chanukah, we honor the first responders who stood when peace collapsed. We share their stories so the world remembers that miracles still happen. Sometimes they arrive quietly, disguised as three people on a hill who refuse to walk away.
As we reflect on his bravery, it is important to honor not only Ohad but all those who give of themselves everyday to protect others. Their stories deserve to be told and remembered.
Bring more light into the world. Share this story with others.
WITH GRATITUDE TO
ELLIOT AND DEBBIE GIBBER
WHOSE GENEROSITY BRINGS THESE STORIES TO LIGHT
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