Avichail Reuven’s Inspiring Act of Bravery Will Floor You

Avichail Reuven, an Ethiopian IDF paratrooper had just returned home from active service. He was still being trained as an officer when he came home to Kiryat Malachi, a city a few miles from Ashkelon, for a short break.

He had been looking forward to a much-needed rest when he was abruptly awoken on October 7th to the sound of sirens blasting, signaling an incoming missile attack.

He checked his phone and was shocked to learn that this was not just another terrorist attack. He saw that Hamas had penetrated various communities near the Gaza border and that Israel was experiencing something far deadlier and more serious than anything he had ever seen.

Despite his exhaustion, Avichail thrust himself into action.

In an interview with Channel 12 news he stated, “I told my brother and friend that I was heading to the border. I said that if anything happened, I would just kill [the terrorists]. I felt like the guys were laughing at me a little. They told me ‘You’re crazy to go, there’s no reason for us to go with you.’ I also looked for friends with a car to drive there, but I couldn’t find anyone, so I decided that I would go to the interchange and start trying to catch a ride.”

Undeterred, he grabbed his gun and uniform, still wet from the laundry machine, and began heading towards the main intersection to see if he could catch a ride. Not one car stopped and no buses were running. Avichail decided to run.

For one hour he ran 8 miles towards Zikim, the nearest community under attack.

Avichail told Channel 12, “It was difficult, running in a wet uniform, with sirens all the time and rockets falling in the area. It was the hardest run I’d ever done. It was the longest run I’d ever done, in uniform, in the heat. A nightmare.”

A parent on his way to the Nova festival to help his child saw Avichail and gave him a ride. The parent realized that without a weapon it would be futile and dangerous and dropped Avichail at an intersection where a police car gave him a ride to a checkpoint near Zikim.

Avichail stated, “I argued a little with the police officers. I told them, ‘I’m going in. If not with you, I’m going in alone.'”

Another commander named Alexander arrived at that spot at the same moment and the two of them went in together.

Avichail explained, “There was complete chaos here. Half the base was burned. A lot of shouting and you could see terrorists running all around the area.”

He came to a bomb shelter filled with 30 women soldiers with one wounded. Avichail helped her and then said to them, “I need three strong women. This is why you were enlisted into a combat unit. Now is your moment to prove that you’re fighters.”

He told three soldiers to stand at the entrance and kill any terrorists nearby. He then went to another bomb shelter filled with male soldiers, many of them injured. He spent hours fighting and killing several terrorists which saved the lives of many Jewish civilians.

Witnesses describe how, despite the chaos, Avichail remained calm and focused, focused on his mission. Stepping up for others at great risk to his life, he demonstrated tremendous heroism.
After fighting in Zikkim he went to Yiftah, Kfar Aza, and Kibbutz Be’eri. And his heroism did not end there. He later fought for months in Gaza with a goal to decimate Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recognized Avichail’s heroism in his address to the U.S. Congress on July 24th, stating,
With us today is Lieutenant Avichail Reuven. Avichail is an officer in the Israeli paratroopers. His family immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia. In the early hours of October 7th, Avichail heard the news of Hamas’ bloody rampage.

He put on his uniform, grabbed his rifle, but he didn’t have a car. So he ran eight miles to the frontlines of Gaza to defend his people. You heard that right. He ran eight miles, came to the frontlines, killed many terrorists and saved many, many lives. Avichail, we all honor your remarkable heroism.”

The entire room gave him a standing ovation.

 

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The IDF also recognized Avichail’s bravery, promoting him as an officer, and the community of Zikim thanked him as well.

The Mishna teaches, “In a place where there is no leader, strive to be a leader” (Ethics of the Fathers, 2:1). When there was no one coming to the rescue, no bus and no car, Avichail pushed forward to complete his mission. His immense bravery – and great humility – make him a modern-day hero.