Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI, OCTO 19: US President Joe Biden, who was in Israel on Wednesday to show support to the Jewish nation amid its war with the Hamas terrorist group, met survivors of the October 7 rampage. Among them was Rachel Edri, a 65-year-old retired grandmother who was held hostage at gunpoint in her home for nearly 20 hours by five Hamas terrorists.

According to reports in the Israeli media, Rachel Edri used food and conversation to distract the terrorists until the Israeli security forces arrived and captured them.

On October 7, Rachel and her husband David were taken captive amid a massive invasion by hundreds of Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip who entered Israel and rampaged through the south of the country.

In a Channel 12 report, David mentioned that the terrorists did not beat them but told them that they were to become “martyrs”. When the security forces arrived, the terrorists held a hand grenade, with the pin removed, over Rachel’s head. They threatened to kill the couple as they negotiated with the security forces.

According to a report in The Times of Israel, the security forces initially thought about bombing Edri’s home, but were told that it belonged to the parents of a fellow police officer — and that the couple were still inside.

As the forces were negotiating with the terrorists, Rachel kept them distracted.

“I could see they were angry,” Rachel told Channel 12. “I asked them if they were hungry. I prepared them coffee and cookies.”

“She drove them crazy, she kept asking them if they want something,” her husband David told Channel 12.

Rachel said she bandaged the hand of one of the injured terrorists and tried to comfort him. She engaged in conversation with the others to keep them preoccupied.

“I did it all to stay alive. I needed to stall until the cavalry came to the rescue,” Rachel said.

When the security forces stormed into their house, David said he jumped over his wife to protect her.

“He saved 40 years of marriage,” said Rachel.

-PTI