The Heroic Act of the Hummus Shop Owner

About three weeks ago, a terrorist drove to the gas station at the entrance to Ali, opened fire, and tragically killed two Jews: Uriya Hartom, 16.5 years old, and Yitzhak Zeiger, 57 years old. May their memory be a blessing.

Aviad Gazber, the owner of the 'Hummus Eliyahu' restaurant at the station, was the one who courageously neutralized the terrorist. Without hesitation, he loaded his weapon, signaled to the terrorist, drawing his attention, and shot him to death. Earlier this week, Gazber received an award of recognition from the head of Benjamin Council, Israel Ganz. The ceremony was honored by the presence of President Herzog, who visited Ali.

In an interview, Gazber describes the attack, the ongoing battle in Gaza, and the Jewish spirit that we must proudly uphold.

"People know me because of the attacks at the hummus place," begins Gazber, a 15-year resident of Ali. "I am involved in various businesses. I run a music school, a pizzeria, and manage the 'Oz V'emunah' yeshiva in South Tel Aviv, which was led by my mentor, Rabbi Achiad Ettinger, may his memory be a blessing, who was killed five years ago when confronting a terrorist at Ariel junction."

Gazber continues: "Since October 7, I've been in the reserves, fighting in Sderot, Kfar Aza, and now Khan Yunis."

Terrorist Neutralization (Security Camera)

"I Signaled the Terrorist to Look at Me"

You have experienced so much from the war. Before discussing the attack, what moment from the war stands out in your mind?

"I can't pinpoint one," Gazber answers after a moment's thought. "I'm entirely focused on the war. I haven't started processing it yet."

What happened during the attack? Where were you?

"I came to greet the workers after returning from Khan Yunis. Luckily, I was there."

Please describe the sequence of events.

"About eight months ago, there was another attack at the hummus place where four Jews were killed. May their memory be a blessing. Back then, I was in the reserves and watched the attack live through security cameras. It was a feeling of helplessness I'd never known. During this latest attack, I was there at the hummus place by chance. As soon as I heard the gunfire, I realized it was an attack. My instinct was to end it as quickly as possible to minimize trauma for the employees.

"I didn't feel an ounce of fear, but I had been five months in combat by then," Gazber recounts fervently. "I shouted to everyone, 'It's okay, get back,' and charged out with my weapon. I cocked it while running. I fired my first shot eight seconds after hearing the initial burst. The first time I saw the terrorist was when he was shooting Yitzhak Zeiger, a Jew. I saw it from a distance and didn't know who the terrorist was. I fired a shot to their left to draw the terrorist towards me, even signaling him to come at me. He noticed me."

So you intentionally drew fire towards yourself.

"Yes, I went inside the hummus place, took a position, and within fifteen seconds, he was down. It took me three shots to bring him down."

You essentially signaled him to look at you, and he did...

"He started running towards me, and a shot hit him in the hand," describes Gazber, "Then he shot at me, hitting the hummus windows. I fired another three shots until he fell. It took me five seconds to bring him down in total. I went out and saw someone with a gun approaching from the road. I signaled him to 'cover me,' and searched to ensure there were no more terrorists."

Gazber notes: "I counted bullets because I thought there might be another terrorist. I fired nine shots at this terrorist and then started scanning. When I saw the gas station worker smiling at me, I understood it was over; the event ended."

Grateful for the Opportunity to Be There

You said you weren't afraid, yet you're still processing the war events. How do you handle such situations? Is it frightening or challenging?

"Okay," Gazber tries to clarify, "Life is hard, don't you think?" he asks rhetorically.

Yes, but while I might complain about waking up early for my kids, you faced a terrorist situation. It seems slightly more challenging than what I've been through...

"Let me tell you," Gazber pauses, "I'm the kind of person who always looks for the spot of discomfort. I search for where it's hard and go there to challenge myself. I didn't establish the hummus place because I understand or love hummus. It was just a challenging location to settle because we were always on the hills. I wanted to go down. I'm the first resident to build a house in my neighborhood. I manage a yeshiva in South Tel Aviv, which is the least comfortable place in Israel. I have a soup kitchen there serving 150 meals daily. I'm always looking for the less easy option. Hashem placed me in a position with challenges, and for that, I'm grateful."

How does it feel to save lives?

"In our current reality, it's unfortunately routine to kill terrorists and save people. Overall, it's undoubtedly a great privilege. On the other hand, it's a difficult event. I couldn't, or more accurately, wasn't able to save two Jews.

At least you prevented further casualties.

"Yes. For that, I thank Hashem for placing me there. Any soldier fighting in Gaza today would have acted just as I did."

What is happening at the gas station today after all the attacks?

"We continue with full force. Residents are scared, but they confront, fight, and persevere," Gazber responds with the formula for living a proud Jewish life in Israel.

What is your message to the readers?

"Get the strength to overcome them. We must understand that in every generation, they rise against us to destroy us, and we cannot escape it. It's our destiny — we are Jews, and we must be brave. Understand where we come from and where we are going, and move forward. It's enough to remain unaware of our place, reality, and the world. It's enough to ignore our true reality. Everyone wants to eliminate the Jews. We need to look after ourselves."