Israel Defense Force retired Major General Noam Tibon said Wednesday on “NBC Nightly News” that he was able to save his son and family during the Hamas terror attack.
Anchor Lester Holt said, “By 11:30 Israel’s prime minister declaring war on Hamas, Israeli military operations are launched, but others taking matters into their own hands.”
He continued, “You were a grandfather on a mission.”
Tibon said, “Exactly.”
Holt said, “Today I met Retired Israeli Major General Noam Tibon. He got a text Saturday from his son Amir who was staying with his family on a kibbutz near the Gaza border when Hamas arrived.”
Tibon said, “He told me, dad, there are terrorists all around they are shooting on the house. And I said only one thing. be quiet I’m on my way.”
Holt said, “Armed with only his pistol Noam and his wife, who’s also a retired military officer, drove to the kibbutz, joining Israeli soldiers in a gun battle with Hamas.”
Holt asked, “you killed some of the terrorists?”
Tibon said, “I killed at least one, yeah.”
Holt said, “You are a trained soldier but still, you’re protecting your family at that moment.”
Tibon said, “I was in many battles. This is by far the most important thing that i did in my life. I was protecting my family. I was protecting their whole community.”
Holt said, “He arrived at his son’s house, finding his family was hiding, terrified but safe.”
Tibon said, “My little granddaughter Galia said, ‘Grandpa came.’ And this is maybe the best words that I ever heard in my life.”
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