Former Golani soldier haunted by 6:29 a.m. attack on October 7

On the morning of October 7, Shalev Ben Simon, then a sergeant first class in Battalion 51 of the Golani Brigade, was awakened by a mortar impact at 6:29 a.m. while stationed at a border outpost near Kissufim. The strike forced his armored personnel carrier into combat as militants poured in on motorcycles, leading to repeated ambushes, heavy fire, and the evacuation of wounded soldiers under chaotic conditions. Following the intense engagement, his unit participated in operations inside the Gaza Strip before being redeployed to the northern border.

Ben Simon returned to Israel, but the trauma manifested as severe PTSD, prompting him to request a mental-health officer, which was initially delayed. After a month of desertion and eventual discharge, he pursued treatment at the Taatzumot center and filed for disability recognition, but feels the Ministry’s response has been inadequate.