IDF agrees to provide bereaved families with Nahal Oz observer recordings

The IDF has agreed to provide the families of the Nahal Oz observers killed on October 7 with the recordings taken from their last 24 hours on the outpost, the army announced on Monday.

The recordings, which feature the voices of their loved ones, will be handed over to the families as soon as possible and in coordination with them, the army added.

The decision to finally transfer the recordings to the families came after a petition was filed with the High Court of Justice two months ago by the parents of the observers Adi Landman, Maya Villalobo Polo, Shirat Yam Amar, Shai Ashram, Hadar Miryam Cohen, Aviv Hajaj, Shahaf Nissani, Roni Eshel, Shirel Mor and Yam Glass. All women were killed on October 7.

The parents of another observer, Noa Marciano, who was taken hostage on October 7 and later murdered in captivity in Gaza, also joined the petition.

The family of Corporal Shai Ashram, 19, who was killed at the outpost, told N12 that they finally heard her voice for the first time since she was murdered.

"We heard her report on her last shift - on Friday, October 6th in the morning - which she professionally and carefully just as she had done throughout her service," the Ashram family said. 

"We heard her laughing; the last time we spoke to her we heard her crying and scared, on the morning of October 7th." 

Over a year of struggle to receive access to the recording 

The family added that it was disappointing that it took a year to be able to hear the recording, a struggle that involved a petition to the High Court.

"The most important thing now is to return Shai's friends from captivity: Liri [Albag], Agam [Berger], Daniela [Gilboa], Karina [Ariev], and Naama [Levy], and all the hostages from captivity."

The Ashrams also demanded that the IDF present the families with the findings of the investigations so far and asked that a state investigation committee be appointed.

"This is the least we deserve. The least our heroic observers deserve."

However, the family of one of the observers told N12 that they only received ten very short recordings, most of them from hours when their daughter was not on duty.

As the IDF has decided to share the communications, the petition is expected to be canceled and not reach a hearing. 

The attorney representing the families, Gilad Yitzhak Bar-Tal, said: "This is a difficult and complex time for the families, and we ask that everyone act with respect and sensitivity."