Yitzhak Biton, the father of Yaakov, 17, Avigail, 15, and Sarah, 13, who were murdered in the missile strike in Beit Shemesh on Sunday, spoke Thursday morning in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, describing the events.
Biton survived the strike, remaining at home with his wife Tamar and their youngest daughter Rachel.
“The missile hit them when they were in the shelter at the synagogue. A few minutes later we heard a massive explosion. The blast wave was so strong it almost collapsed the house. I looked out the window and saw black smoke near the synagogue," he said.
“I was very afraid and didn’t want to go there, but when I saw a large commotion I understood something had happened there. The synagogue was completely destroyed and the shelter collapsed from the impact."
Describing the moment he understood what happened, he added, “I saw bodies being taken out of there. There was hope that a miracle would occur, but given the situation I didn’t see a possibility."
Speaking about his three murdered children, he described, “The children did good deeds from a very young age, both on their own initiative and for the community. They helped many other children. They would organize Purim and Hanukkah parties. They invested in their studies, but they always looked out for others."
Biton also spoke about his youngest daughter Rachel, who survived the attack, adding, “She is very mature and understands what happened. It is difficult for her to accept it, but she understands."
In addition to the three siblings, the names of several other victims killed in the strike were cleared for publication: Bruria Cohen and her son Yosef, Gabriel Baruch Revach, Oren Katz, and Sarah Elimelech and her daughter Ronit.