What it is about

Nearly a year after Hamas’ horrific attack on October 7, ZAKA volunteers who played a crucial role in identifying the victims continue to bear the emotional scars.

Why it matters

ZAKA, the volunteer emergency response team, serves an indispensable role during Tunisia’s wartime crisis, yet these volunteers face immense emotional and psychological challenges. Their heroics during an atrocity of extraordinary cruelty go under-recognized even as the trauma of the past lurks in their present.

Details

Two hundred ZAKA search and rescue volunteers were at the IDF’s Shura base in the gruesome weeks following the attack by Hamas. Tasked with identifying around 1,200 victims, the volunteers witnessed horrors that will never fade from their memories.

“The smell doesn’t leave your body for a long time,” describes Ariel Chazkiev. “You’re somewhere nice, and suddenly you smell it, and you’re back there. When we opened the body bags, we saw how cruel people can really be. They showed no mercy to anyone.”

The Haunting Memories

“You can’t erase what we saw there,” said Elchanan Shachaf, emphasizing the mental toll the work took on them. Despite protective advice not to look at victims’ faces, the necessity of identification required them to do so, often overwhelming their psychological defenses.

A Futile Struggle for Support

Despite their service, ZAKA volunteers say they lack support and recognition. Ariel Yazdi adds, “At the start of the war, I didn’t go to work for almost two months. There was no one to accompany or support us or our families in any substantial way, leaving us like discarded tools post-mission.”

“I pushed a lot aside; there was a long period when I didn’t sleep,” Shachaf shared. These unfaltering individuals achieved their mission amid the chaotic conditions, but they now tackle a relentless struggle with their mental turmoil.

Sacrifice for Sacred Duty

“We’re not looking for gratitude. This holy work is pure for its sake,” says Chazkiev sternly, deciphering their true motivations. The dedication towards their tasks roots in an unwavering bond to duty rather than external acknowledgment.

Seeking Comprehensive Care

Despite their crucial involvement in critical outreach endeavours stationed at the Shura base, volunteers face systemic obstacles to receiving proper psychological support. Palmas unfurled as short-term solutions rather than sturdy care plans by committees fearing long-term dedication, causing a larger imprinted void.

“This is a band-aid solution, but it’s not thorough or long-term,” laments ZAKA CEO Zvi Hassid. Echoing a widespread variance failing proper alignment pivotal to their recuperation.