Armed to Survive: How October 7 Hamas Massacre Changed Gun Culture in Israel

In the delivery room of a hospital in Jerusalem As the contractions intensified and the midwife tried to help the working woman into a more comfortable position, The mother felt strange.

“She told me something was hurting her,” recalls midwife Erga Froman. “Then I realized it was my gun. which is covered with a rotating belt and moved forward to touch her.” After the baby was born Froman’s co-workers at the hospital photographed her standing next to a newborn baby, still wearing the gun. “It is a picture of difference,” she said.

Before October, on Sept. 7, Froman, a mother of five who now lives in the Golan Heights in northern Israel, I never thought about applying for a firearms license. After choosing to serve in non-military service Instead of serving in the IDF, she had never fired a gun in her life. The changes came quickly after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli communities on Oct. 1, killing more than 1,200 people and destroying the sense of security that many Israelis have come to rely on. long

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Civilian emergency teams practice firefighting in the town of Kiryat Shmona, within range of Hezbollah rockets from Lebanon, on March 4, 2024. (Erez Ben Simon/TPS-IL)

“On the evening of October 7, my husband and I realized that because I was traveling alone at night on dangerous roads to get to work – bringing life into the world – I needed to be protected,” Froman told Fox News. Digital “The next morning I have applied for a firearms license. Now I hope I don’t need to use it. But I am prepared if necessary.”

For decades, firearm ownership in Israel was not common. Although military service provides many Israelis with weapons training, But personal firearms are more of a responsibility than a necessity. The strict licensing process deters many people. And Israelis trust their state and defense forces to protect them from terrorist threats. This trumps Israel’s low crime rate.

Midwife Erga Froman decided to get a license to use firearms after the Oct. 1, 7, Hamas terrorist attacks.

But after the September 7 Hamas massacre in October, many Israelis began to view personal firearms as necessary protection in a new and more dangerous reality. “Because on Oct. 7, there were not enough medical teams. Defense was also not enough,” Froman said. “Learning from that. Today we have a team of community doctors. And we are ready to give you the first response.”

Erga Froman, a midwife from northern Israel And her husband decided to get a gun permit after the Oct. 1, seven terrorist attacks.

Israel’s Supreme Court is currently considering a petition against nationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gevir, accusing his office of issuing firearms licenses without proper authority.

In the month following Oct. The seventh attack saw more than 260,000 new firearms license applications, nearly as many as the total from the past two decades combined. More than 100,000 licenses have been approved. This is a 10-fold increase compared to last year.

A woman shoots a gun in the Jordan Valley. Israel, April 10, 2024 (Juv Dudkevich/TPS-IL)

Ayala Merkin, mother from Shiloh in Judea and Samaria It is widely known as the West Bank. Have applied for a firearms license After her husband, an IDF reservist, was sent to war in Gaza. Leaving her alone with the three young children, “I felt unsafe driving through the Arab village. and knew I had to do something to protect myself,” she said. “The process is much faster than it was before Oct. 7, but it still took several months because of the volume of applications.”

Mirkin now carries a handgun whenever she leaves the community. She is still conflicted, though. “I don’t want to own a gun. The day you can return it will be the happiest in your life. But I don’t have a choice. It is a survival tool.”

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For families like Mirkin’s, firearms have become a part of everyday life. She kept the gun securely in a safe and trained her children not to touch it. “It is a tool for protection. Not to kill,” she emphasizes, “My goal is to save lives. It is not survival.”

Oren Gozlan, a military veteran and father of a paratrooper Be one of those who hesitate before applying for a license. Ghozlan lives on the Israeli side of the Green Belt border near the Palestinian city of Tulkarem. Decided that he could no longer avoid being armed. “The fear of having a gun around my children. The house still exists. But the need to protect my family was greater than that,” he said. “Oct. 7 changed everything. It makes us realize that We are vulnerable in ways we never imagined before.”

Ghozlan was appalled by what he saw as inadequate oversight of the licensing process. “During that time, I saw people who had never held a gun in their life. Hardly hit the target at all. It’s shocking to think that these people are walking around with guns.”

Saar Zohar, a reserve in an elite unit Expresses similar changes. For years, Zohar has opposed gun ownership. Believing that it is not necessary after serving in government service But the series of terror attacks after 9/10 pushed him to reconsider. “I couldn’t stand the thought of being helpless if something happened,” he said. “Knowing I was trained and able to respond I feel it is my responsibility.”

In the latter period of October Massacre No. 7 Sar Zohar, a reservist in an elite IDF unit, decides to apply for a firearms license. (Fox News)

Different from in the United States where gun ownership is often linked to fear of crime or protection of private property Firearms in Israel are seen as a counterterrorism tool. Israel has in the past avoided the public mass shootings that sometimes afflict the United States. But experts warn that the rapid spread of firearms could change this. This is because many untrained individuals carry weapons. The fear of rash actions and tragic mistakes increases.

Zohar is haunted by possible misidentification. “The idea that another armed civilian might mistake me for an attacker terrifies me,” he said, referring to the tragic events of November 2023 when an Israeli civilian shot a terrorist in Jerusalem. Accidentally killed by a young soldier.

The psychological toll of this change was evident among the new militants, Eyal Haskel, a father of three from Tel Aviv. Discussing the social pressures he faced after Oct. 7. “I never wanted to carry a gun. But my friend asked me why I didn’t carry a weapon. It feels like an expectation. It’s almost a duty.”

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Israelis practice at a shooting range 2 Feb. 12 September 2023. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images)

But Haskel was still disturbed by what he saw at the shooting range. “People treat it like a game. Shoot without understanding responsibility It is scary to think that these people have been allowed to do so.”

For many Israelis Reform represents a necessary response to an existential threat. But it also exposed deep-seated flaws in the system. Critics argue that the current approach sacrifices long-term safety for short-term safety. It warns of unintended consequences. From accidental shootings to the rise in domestic violence.

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“It’s easier to get a firearms license than to get a driver’s license,” Gozlan said. You have to get lessons, tests and strict rules. With guns, it’s just some paperwork and a few hours on the range.”

Fromman sees things differently: “If someone threatens you, You only need to draw your weapon in a national security situation. You wouldn’t pull out a gun in a personal life-threatening situation. Unless it is the case of terrorists. The rules here are clear – you must have a safe for weapons. I cannot rely on my husband’s safety. I wasn’t allowed to use his gun. Very strict rules It is there to protect us from those who want to harm us. Not for general self-defense.”

Israeli soldiers patrol near Kibbutz Beri, southern Israel, on Oct. 1, Oct. 12, 2023, near the site where 270 people were killed by terrorists during a music festival. Supernova on 1 Oct. 7. (Aris Messines/AFP via Getty Images)

Mirkin agrees. “We’re not like America,” she said. “We don’t want guns to be a hobby. For us, it’s survival. It’s not a choice.”

One interviewee, who asked to remain anonymous, described how he trained his wife in basic firearms use. Even though she doesn’t have a license. “I never wanted her to be in this position. But what if I am not home during the attack? She needs to know how to protect our children.”

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As Israel adjusts to this new reality The social impact of increased firearm ownership remains uncertain. For many, the weight of these decisions highlights the delicate balance between protection and responsibility.

“I hope I never have to use it,” Gozlan said, “but I can’t ignore the reality we live in. Oct. 7 changed everything.”