Kriti Mehrotra
HBO Max’s ‘One Day in October’ chronicles the harrowing attacks by Hamas across the southern borders of Israel on October 7, 2023. It dramatizes the firsthand accounts of survivors and their tales of courage, grief, loss, pain, and trauma, shedding light on what transpired on the fateful day. Amongst those to thus be featured is Sabine Taasa, who sadly lost her protective estranged husband and loving eldest son — Gil and Or Taasa — in arguably the worst way possible.
Sabine Taasa Remembers Every Detail of the Day Her World Turned Upside Down
Although it’s unclear precisely when the Israeli-French native Sabine Taasa tied the knot with firefighter Gil Taasa, it appears that they have always had a very respectful relationship. They happily welcomed four sons into their world over just a little less than two decades – Or, Zohar, Koren, and Shay – while having settled in the village of Netiv Ha’asara, Israel. The family initially seemed rather idyllic, but the dynamics between them changed around early 2022, as the couple decided to separate after facing some difficult personal times. Sabine and Gil did not divorce, but the latter did move out to the outhouse, an arrangement they both mutually decided upon since it enabled them to coparent amicably.
Therefore, when the attack began at around 6:30 am on Friday, October 7, 2023, the mother of four knew very well that her two youngest sons, then 8 and 12, were safe with their father. She wasn’t panicked about 15-year-old Zohar either, as he was at home with her, but she was terrified for 17-year-old Or because he had gone fishing at the nearby Zikim Beach early that morning. According to reports, Or called Sabine to inform her about the attack, asserting he was on his way to take shelter before promising, “everything will be okay.” Neither of them had any idea that not only would Or be shot to death mere moments later, but the attackers would also descend upon their home in full force soon after.
As per their surveillance footage, while Sabine and Zohar rushed into a secure room, Gil took Koren and Shay to a shelter-like structure he had prepared in the garden as a safety measure. Unfortunately, though, the handgun the 46-year-old had grabbed proved inconsequential as the attackers lobbed a grenade, driving him to throw himself on top of it to protect his children. The attackers then took the injured kids, but they managed to escape, with Sabine carefully opening the reinforced doors Gil had insisted upon – his efforts saved his family, as no one could break in.
Related
Sabine Taasa is a Proud Survivor and Victims Advocate Today
When Sabine finally had her three young sons in her care, she realized 8-year-old Shay’s one eye had been blown out of its socket, whereas 12-year-old Koren had deep wounds on his legs. She was deeply terrified, which then also got mixed with grief as she heard from them how Gil had died, but she didn’t let it show on her face because she wanted to make them feel safe. Instead, she tended to them to the best of her abilities in their secure room until Israeli soldiers arrived to rescue them, following which they were rushed to the nearest possible hospital. While Koren thankfully made a full recovery, Shay sadly lost all sight in the injured eye. Yet, all four Taasa family survivors admit they are traumatized from the events of that harrowingly brutal day.
The fact that Or was shot six times in the head, with it being filmed and then released by Hamas, didn’t help the family’s trauma either, so Sabine decided she wasn’t going to keep quiet. Therefore, since October 2023, she has been serving as a public speaker, a witness to the atrocities, and a loud and proud advocate for all victims, survivors, and their loved ones. In fact, in September 2024, she told the UN that they need to “stop blaming” Israel for the war and instead focus on figuring out ways to prevent it so as to protect the kids of the world.
Sabine backed her assertion by recounting her experiences before stating that her three surviving sons are so affected by what transpired that they can barely even function without her. Her youngest, in particular, she said, “cannot sleep without me. He needs me 24/7…,” adding that her sons also panic if she doesn’t speak to them at least once an hour during the day when she’s away. They tell her, “Mama, I was pretty sure that something bad happened to you. I don’t want you to die.” Since then, she has made various public appearances, released statements on different platforms, and traveled across the globe to share her story, hoping that it will make a difference one day.
At the age of 49, Sabine is now based in Ashkelon, Israel, to provide her surviving kids with a sense of normalcy; yet, she has no plans of stopping her advocacy anytime soon. A significant reason behind this decision is not only the current ongoing war but also the fact that delving into the details of October 7, 2023, admittedly helps her cope with the trauma as well. We should even mention that Sabine has since earned the Medal of Valor from the Simon Wiesenthal Center for her hard work, and most recently, she shared her story in New York, California, and at screenings of ‘One Day in October.’ Moreover, in early October 2025, she returned to Netiv Ha’asara, where she organized a memorial for Or and Gil to make it clear that all her efforts are aimed at keeping their memories/legacy alive.
