"Do you hear the sirens?" Inbal Lieberman was the first at Kibbutz Nir Am to realize that something was wrong on the horrific Shabbat morning of October 7th. Maybe it was the number of sirens or maybe the strange noises she heard outside the settlement's fences that alerted her.
Inbal is not just any member of Kibbutz Nir Am, where she has grown up. As Rashbatz (the coordinator of ongoing military security), she carries the very important task of being responsible for the safety of all the members of the kibbutz. She is responsible for the security of the settlement at any event, until the arrival of the IDF forces or the police. Such a role is usually taken on by older men with a lot of experience. Even though Inbal had only a year's experience in this position, she was very prepared.
When the electricity shorted following the sirens, she ordered one of the kibbutz members: "Don't turn the power back on!" He replied: "But you need to hear the news, you also need air conditioners." She repeated: "Don't turn on the switch, I hear suspicious voices and gunshots. I need an hour to understand what's going on”.
Inbal thought of all the possibilities and quickly built a defense plan, despite not being asked to do this. The simple rule to follow in a situation like this is: "prepare the Kitot Konenut (the armed civilian squad made up of kibbutz members) in case we need them." Inbal was the first to understand exactly what was happening in the south with the outbreak of the war, and she was extremely agile, and knew what actions needed to be taken right away.
Inbal raced to where the weapons were stored and went from house to house calling the members of the armed civilian squad. "Go and form ambushes next to the fence of the settlement!" she commanded them. "I ordered them not to turn the electricity back on, that way the terrorists wouldn't be able to break through the heavy electric gate at the entrance to the kibbutz."
Thirty-five terrorists tried to break into the kibbutz but none of them managed to enter. All of them were killed by members of the armed civilian squad and the IDF forces. The resourceful Inbal, the coordinator of ongoing military security, led the battle of Kibbutz Nir Am and saved the lives of hundreds of residents. Perhaps at this upcoming Independence Day ceremony she will receive an honor to light a beacon.

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