An Israeli Arab paramedic persisted in staying at the site when Hamas launched their attack earlier this month on thousands of Jews who were enjoying a music festival in southern Israel in an effort to save lives. He finally gave it his own. Awad Darawshe was a handsome, single 23-year-old man, but he wasn’t there to dance at the Tribe of Nova event. He was one of a group of paramedics from Yossi Ambulances sent to work the festival in a tent off to the side of the site.
He was assassinated when Hamas terrorists sneaked into Israel from the Gaza Strip, massacred their way through festival attendees, and then entered nearby villages, settlements, and kibbutzim.
On October 7, shortly after sunrise, missiles pierced the sky. Grenades detonated. All over, it was shaken by gunfire.
People who had been hurt or bleeding rushed to the paramedics’ station. But things suddenly became chaotic.
The commander of the station gave the paramedics instructions to leave as the extent of the Hamas strike became apparent. Darawshe resisted going out. He was killed by a gunshot while tending to one of the wounded.
The paramedics who were still alive explained Darawshe’s decision to stay with his family days after his body was found and identified.
He believed that, as an Arab, he could persuade the assailants in some way. ‘No, I’m not leaving,’ he declared.
His cousin Mohammad Darawshe told The Associated Press over the phone from his home in northern Israel, “I understand Arabic; I think I can manage.
The Darawshe family is inconsolable as a result of that terrible choice; Awad’s bravery is their sole solace.
“He brought us a lot of pain, a lot of agony, and a lot of sorrow,” his cousin added. But he also gave us great pride since he opted to continue on with his mission right up until the very end.
In Iksal, a tiny community with a large Arab population located about 3 miles (5 kilometers) southeast of Nazareth, a burial was held on Friday. Numerous thousand mourners showed up.
The Darawshe family has been a part of Iksal for many years. They are a member of the 20% or so of the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel.
They are descended from Palestinians who remained in the nation during the conflict preceding Israel’s formation in 1948.
They are full Israeli citizens, unlike Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, but they nonetheless encounter a lot of prejudice. They frequently experience tension with Jewish Israelis, especially during times of conflict.
At least 260 Israelis were killed in the festival attack, while an unknown number were held captive.
More than 1,300 Israelis were killed in total in Hamas’ savage attack on Saturday, making it the deadliest massacre in Israeli history. The next day, Israel launched war on Hamas.
More than 2,300 Palestinians had also died in the violence as of Sunday, putting the Middle East on the verge of a larger catastrophe.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on social media that Hamas had not only assassinated Darawshe but also taken his ambulance and driven it to Gaza. Defining Darawshe as “a hero,” the foreign ministry “May the memory of his be a blessing.”
The Givat Haviva Center for Shared Society, which seeks to close the divide between Israel’s Jewish and Arab people, is run by Mohammad Darawshe.
This organization upholds the values of the Darawshe family, for whom Awad paid the ultimate price.
We are quite proud of his actions, according to Mohammad Darawshe. “This is what we would expect from him and what we expect from everyone in our family—to be human, to stay human, and to die human.”
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