Since the beginning of the horrifying attacks carried out by Hamas in southern Israel, approximately 600 ZAKA volunteers have been working tirelessly to retrieve the bodies of those slain in various communities on the border with the Gaza Strip.
"The sheer horror and brutality we've witnessed in the field is beyond what the heart and mind can fathom," ZAKA spokesman Moti Bokatsin said. "I've devoted over 25 years to volunteering with ZAKA, but nothing could have prepared me for the scale of the casualties, the brutal cruelty, and working under constant threat of fire."
Bokatsin recalled a particularly nerve-wracking moment when their team had to take cover from a group of terrorists.
"On Sunday, during an operation in the field, there was a fierce firefight right next to us at the entrance of Kibbutz Miflasim," he said. "We were terrified and sought refuge in a roadside ditch. Only when the situation was under control, and the terrorists neutralized, we could continue our sacred mission."
"Our mission underscores the immense responsibility we bear in preserving the sanctity of the Jewish burial sites, tending to the deceased, and bringing solace to grieving families and friends," Bokatsin added.
Unbearable horrors
Regarding the shocking scenes they encountered, Bokatsin said that as they proceeded with their work, the massacres they uncovered became worse and worse.
"Upon arrival in the area, we were initially confronted with sights we'd seen before in the aftermath of shootings and murders. However, as we ventured into Be'eri, Kfar Aza, and the surrounding kibbutzim, the scenes there were simply unbearable," he said.
"The slaughter of young children, many of them burned alive, represents atrocities that defy comprehension," he added. "No human being should be capable of such acts," he added.
Bokatsin highlighted that the sole intent of the terrorists was to spill Jewish blood.
"Unfortunately, they succeeded," he said.
Addressing their coping mechanisms amid the gruesome realities, he explained that "while there are psychologists available to provide support to our volunteers, time is a luxury we cannot afford."
"Our duty is to ensure that every murdered individual is brought home, granting families the peace and solace they need to mourn and pray," he concluded. "Only then we can begin to take care of ourselves."