IDF releases story of operation officer at Shura military base
IDF operations officer Captain (res.) Emma
Following the October 7 massacre, Cpt, (res.) Emma, an operations officer in the IDF, ran the operation at the Shura military base to identify the bodies of Hamas’s victims.
Emma immigrated from Paris a decade ago, and in her civilian life, she is a lawyer for a large firm in Israel.
After the massacre, she would help the families of victims in identifying their loved ones who were murdered.
Identifying the victims
During the first 14 days of Israel’s war against Hamas, the Shura military base, located south of Ramle, was used to bring the bodies of over 1,300 people, and among them, 311 soldiers, who were killed during the massacre, according to Ynet.
Over the course of two weeks, constant efforts were made to identify hundreds of bodies that were sent to the military base.
Israeli soldier around the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, October 30, 2023 (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Israeli soldier around the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, October 30, 2023 (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Throughout the duration of days, the family members of missing civilians and soldiers arrived at the scene attempting to identify their loved ones.
Recalling the tragedy
Members of the military rabbinate who worked on the scene testified that the sights at the base were “shocking and resembled a horror scene reminiscent of hell.”
When the October 7 massacre occurred Emma was in Paris, but when she was called for her reserve service, she returned home to Israel immediately.
“I woke up in Paris due to calls from my best friend, who lives in the south of the country. A few hours later I received an order from my commander to go to reserve service, I didn’t hesitate for a moment, I packed a suitcase, left my family, and boarded a flight from Paris to Israel.”
“I arrived in Israel at night, and an hour after landing I was in uniform ready to fight. After a few hours, I was sent to the Shura military base that was set up that day to collect and identify civilian bodies.”
“At the Shura base, the police officers alongside soldiers identified hundreds of bodies that I saw arrive every hour,” Emma said.
Emma’s role at the Shura base was to accompany the families of the victims following their arrival at the base. She organized cooperation between the families, social workers, and people in charge of explaining the death of the victim’s death to the families.
Additionally, Emma delivered the belongings of the victims to the families. She provided them with support and helped the families who came to the base to receive answers about their missing relatives.
Emma described what she saw at the base during those two weeks as a horrific tragedy that she will always remember.
“Burnt children, dismembered young people, these are things I will never forget,” she recalled.
However, Emma remains optimistic, “from here I will grow, learn about myself, and hope that there will be better days in our beautiful country. We have no other country,” Emma concluded.