On October 7, 2023, Sapir Ganish was awakened by the sound of rockets falling and interceptions by the Iron Dome overhead. No siren sounded in Ashkelon, but that did not stop her from donning her Magen David Adom (MDA) medic and ambulance driver uniform and leaving the house.
As she did so, she was followed by echoes of rumors of the unimaginable: that terrorists had infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip.
She signed onto social media and saw videos circulating of terrorists in white vans arriving in Sderot, where several of her family members live.
The road to the MDA station was long; rocket sirens sounded every few minutes, and she had to stop on the side of the road to crouch down and protect herself.
She encountered fallen rockets and surveyed each one in turn, making sure no one was injured or needed assistance.
As Ganish kept on driving, she got a call from her younger sister’s boyfriend; terrorists had infiltrated the base of her sister, a young soldier.
Despite the sirens, despite the fallen missiles, and mostly despite her concerns for her sister, Ganish did not slow down or stop.
No hesitation to help
When Ganish arrived at the MDA station in Ashkelon, she was immediately asked to head to the station in Kiryat Gat alongside three MDA volunteers. She didn’t hesitate.
The journey was long, and contact with her family in Sderot was cut off. Ganish's sister’s boyfriend called her nonstop while she was on her way, and she saw a rocket fall in front of her eyes. A suspicious vehicle passed her by, but she didn’t stop.
Ganish finished handling the incident in Kiryat Gat and returned to Ashkelon in the early afternoon. From there, she went from injured to injured, treating wounded who were hit by shrapnel and evacuating them to the hospital.
The hospital was no easier sight. There, Ganish saw wounded people with substantial injuries and dead bodies piled up.
While looking upon these unspeakable sights, Ganish received a phone call informing her that her cousin, a combat soldier, was killed in battle.
At the end of this impossible day, Ganish heard some good news, as her sister was rescued safely from her base.
Like many other first responders, Ganish didn’t let the pressure overwhelm her; she put aside her thoughts and needs in favor of those who required her help.