Dramatic Video Shows Hamas Attacking Convenience Store, Employees Fleeing Into Freezer

Workers at a convenience store in southern Israel saved themselves by hiding in a walk-in freezer as their shop was raided by Hamas gunmen on the morning October 7, according to surveillance video of the attack released Sunday by Israeli authorities.

The footage shows two men opening the store at the Yelo gas station near Kibbutz Magen just before 8 a.m., when one sees a squad of Hamas gunmen running towards the store waving automatic weapons. 

After taking a second look, he begins running to the rear of the store. His colleague takes one more look out the door, then runs after him. The pair bolt through the back of the store, unlocking a rear storeroom before disappearing from the camera.

A bullet then appears to shatter a soft drink fridge, and seconds later, the gunmen enter the store, looking for the workers. They, too, reach the back room but then turn around, apparently not seeing the hidden employees. On his way out, one gunman steals a smartphone recharging on a desk, while others grab boxes of drinks and armfuls of snacks. 

One of the last terrorists out of the store snags a hot pastry from a display case near the cash register, munching it as he runs out of the building. Another attacker can be seen grabbing what looks like a stainless steel coffee urn or trash can. The attackers leave without firing another shot and run down a nearby road.

The entire attack lasted about two-and-a-half minutes. The two store clerks stayed for hours in the freezer until they were released by Israeli troops, the newspaper Maariv reported.