Diksha Sundriyal
HBO’s ‘One Day in October’ tells the stories of the people who survived the terror attacks on October 7, 2023. While most episodes focus on the stories of the survivors who try to get out of the danger or stay put until the rescue arrives, one episode tells the story of three men, Avi Gian, Emanuel Skaat, and Avi Yudkovski, who rush into the danger zone and save many lives in the process. These paramedics become a symbol of hope and courage in a very dark chapter in the history of their country.
Avi Gian, Emanuel Skaat, and Avi Yudkovski Defied Orders to Save Lives
On October 7, 2023, Avi Yudkovski, a volunteer paramedic with United Hatzalah, got a call at seven in the morning, informing him of a red alert and the dire need for paramedics following the terrorist attacks. Yudkovski immediately called up Avi Gian, another volunteer, who had a reputation for refusing to sit around and doing nothing. They picked up Emanuel Skaat and drove out of the safety of their houses towards the war zone. They were told to reach the Cheletz junction, which was close to the attacked locations but at a safe enough distance. The idea was for them to wait for further instructions, but Avi Gian did not wait around for orders.
He knew that people out there needed their help, and every second they delayed could cost someone their life, so he, Yudkovski, and Emanuel drove on. At first, Avi lied that they had a special unit of soldiers with them, but their bosses didn’t believe it. In any case, they’d ignored instructions and were now in the heat of the battle. They wore bulletproof vests and helmets, with Avi and Emanuel also having firearms to protect themselves. Soon enough, they encountered a car with the driver asking them to help two wounded girls who had escaped the violence at the party at Re’im. The trio took the wounded back to Cheletz, and once they were in the care of other paramedics, they drove away, once again entering the red zone.
On the way, they encountered horrible scenes on the highway with blood and remains of people. They kept a lookout for survivors, particularly in the cars. At one point, they found a dead soldier holding a gun inside a car. So, they stopped to take away the gun, knowing that it wouldn’t be any good if it fell into the hands of a terrorist. They also took the soldier into the ambulance, and on the way, when they met other soldiers, they asked where to take the body, only to find out that no protocol had been fixed for it yet. They made seven more trips, and with each turn they drove back to the Cheletz with wounded but alive people. Then they changed the route to Kfar Aza, and with each trip they took back more wounded soldiers and people.
The Selfless Act of the Paramedics Turned Them Into Local Heroes
During a trip to the Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, they picked up a soldier who had received treatment for his wounds and now needed to go back to his post. This led the paramedics towards a police station in Sderot, where the war and violence were in full swing. At one point, they took two wounded soldiers back, but when the time came to choose which one to take to the hospital in a helicopter, it was decided that the one with less fatal injuries and a better chance of survival should be the one to be sent to the hospital. The day was full of such tough choices, and the trio made so many trips back and forth to Cheletz that they lost count of them. Eventually, they were taken over by the fatigue of the day and had to retire for the night.
By then, they’d already helped hundreds of people. As they drove home, Avi played the song “Al Abba Lo Sho’alim She’eilot” on repeat because it helped calm him down. Later, when the news about their rescue work became public, they were greeted on the streets by a large number of people who applauded their efforts and expressed gratitude for their work. Their heroic endeavors have been recounted in the 2024 book, ‘One Day in October: Forty Heroes, Forty Stories,’ by Yair Agmon and Oriya Mevorach. Their story has also been captured in the fifth episode of the second season of ‘The Heroes of the GPO’ and the YouTube channel of United Hatzalah.
While the trio has appeared in these reports to give their account of the day, all three of them prefer to let their work speak for itself. Meanwhile, they have returned to their normal jobs and lives. Avi Gian works at Nechama Bakery, while Emanuel Skaat works as a clerk in the government ministry. Avi Yudkovski, who has been volunteering since the age of 18, works as a DJ, playing music at weddings and bar mitzvahs. He has also played at other venues and was one of the presenters at the Limmud Festival 2024. The three of them prefer to keep their personal lives out of public scrutiny and prefer to stay in the shadows until the time comes for them to render their services and save people’s lives, without caring for any rules and regulations.
Read More: Aya Meydan and Hisham Al-Karinawi: Where are the Survivors Now?
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