Former Israeli Defense Force Major Sagi Dobev spent 20 years training young soldiers in the Israeli army before retiring two years ago to start his own organization. But when I woke up on the morning of October 7, 2023, I realized that everything had changed.
“There were sirens everywhere. I'm in a lot of professional security WhatsApp groups, so I knew exactly what was going on,” Dabeb told Fox News Digital. . That day, as I witnessed atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists broadcast live on social media, I knew a war had begun.
On the way to the base, friends called to say that the soldiers were injured and were being taken to Sheba Medical Center. Dobev quickly turned around and headed to the hospital, where he saw helicopters dropping off dozens of wounded soldiers “every few minutes,” he said.
He ended up staying with one of the soldiers that day as he was rushed into surgery to have his leg amputated. However, Dabeb realized that he could not leave these soldiers behind.
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Photographs are displayed on the walls of the air raid shelter. Six months ago, on April 7, 2024, people were evacuated near Kibbutz Beli in southern Israel before being killed in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. That's where I was. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
“When I was called back to the base to train, I said, “I can't leave my soldiers here in the hospital. I have to be here and train here.'' No,” he recalled. “That's what I've been doing since October 7th.”
dabef, melee combat and resilience trainer Formerly a special operations close combat training chief in the Israel Defense Forces, he has been volunteering day and night for more than a year at Sheba Hospital, where wounded soldiers from the ongoing war in Gaza are treated. It helps me regain my strength and sense of purpose.
“It became more than just a job,” he explained.
Daveb shared a moving video on his social media accounts showcasing the incredible journeys young men and women go through to recover not only their physical strength but also their mental strength while dealing with devastating injuries from war. I'm sharing it.
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Former Israel Defense Forces Special Forces Major Sagi Dabev shares an inspiring video on his social media accounts about the training and rehabilitation of wounded soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces. (Sagi Davvu/Instagram)
He shares stories like Elisha Medan, who lost both legs in an explosion that killed four teammates and seriously injured four others.
“But his spirit is high and his resilience is strong. He wants us to come together (within and outside Israel) and fight together for Israel's future. I wish him one day leading this country.” I sincerely hope to see you soon.'' Dobev wrote alongside a video of Medan training with Dobev.
The story is like that of Dor Almog, a young soldier who is the only survivor after 21 of his teammates are killed in a terrorist attack. Dobev told how Almog went from being hooked up to a ventilator after the attack last January to learning to walk again and starting training in Krav Maga by that summer.
Or stories like Gaya Zuberi, the first female soldier to be seriously injured in Gaza.
“Only a month and a half after completing his training, Gaya was seriously injured while rescuing a soldier from a tank hit by an RPG in Sajaiya. Gaya sustained injuries to both legs and was airlifted in critical condition.” he wrote on social media. Media Posts.
“During five months of rehabilitation, Gaya underwent multiple surgeries but maintained her fighting spirit. Her determination and resilience is truly inspiring. Gaya never wanted to be a hero. She just wanted to save lives. Even after she was injured, she said she was going to be a hero and try again,” Davev said.
“I started teaching them how to fight again. How to walk again, how to fight without legs, how to punch without legs, how to control their bodies to learn new bodies. And that became a big thing. '' Davef explained to Fox News Digital.
“This is what made them feel like warriors again, because one day they're an elite fighter or an elite professional athlete, and the next day they're struggling to take a shower or go to the bathroom. Because they need someone to help them. They have to learn new things about how the body heals and it does,” he continued.
In some cases, that means sitting by the bedside of unconscious soldiers and offering words of encouragement.
“We start building it from the ground up, from the lowest point,” Davev said, noting that each person's road to rehabilitation can take months to a year.
Despite anti-Israel sentiment spreading around the world since the October 7 attacks, proud Israelis feel inspired to help the soldiers become strong again and share their stories with the world. I feel that this is my mission.
The war between Israel and Hamas remains a divisive issue in the United States, especially on college campuses, with encampments of protesters occupying several elite universities last spring.
Pro-Palestinian protesters walk from Columbia University to Hunter College.
Davef, who has seen firsthand the cost of war, was an outspoken critic of students participating in anti-Israel protests.
“Ignorance is no excuse,” Davev said. “If other groups were targeted, no one would say, 'It's no big deal.' But this is a big deal.”
“They don’t know the situation,” he said of his interactions with students at the encampment. “They can't even show where the rivers and oceans are,” he said, referring to anti-Semitic phrases often chanted at protests.
Davef sees the fight against Hamas as a fight to protect freedom not only for his own people but for the entire Western world.
These are American hostages captured by Hamas terrorists and held in Gaza on October 7, 2023. Only Hersh Goldberg-Polin (left) returned to Israel after the IDF discovered that he and other hostages had been killed by terrorists. Pictured next to Hersh are Itai Chen, Sagui Dekel-Cheng, Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Gadi Hagai, Judy Weinstein, Hagai and Keith Siegel. (Fox News Photo)
“This is the only Jewish land, and this is what we are fighting for, this is what we are dying for. For this country, for democracy, for the Jewish people, and for the Western world. It’s for.”
“Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East,” he said, calling on Israel's critics to visit Tel Aviv and see for themselves the difference. “But if they come to Gaza, if you're LGBTQ, you'll be thrown off the roof within five minutes.”
“We don't want this radicalism to come to America. It's already here. Look at Canada. Look at Europe. We need to stop the spread of Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS,” Dabeb told Americans. “No,” he warned.
Israel and Hamas appear to be moving towards a ceasefire again, which could end the 15-month war in Gaza and allow dozens of Israeli hostages to return home. Associated Press It was reported earlier this week.
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Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure from outgoing President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to reach an agreement before Inauguration Day on January 20th. However, the two sides have come close before, only for negotiations to break down due to various differences of opinion.
President Trump was asked last week about the threat he first made in early December against the terrorist group Hamas, which continues to hold dozens of hostages in Gaza, including seven Americans.
Israel says about a third. The remaining approximately 100 hostages died.But up to half believe they could die, the Associated Press reported.
President Trump told reporters that if the hostages were not released by his inauguration, “all hell is going to break out.”
Caitlin McFall of The Associated Press and FOX News contributed to this report.
