New Documentary Unveils the Triumphs and Trials of the Children from October 7

As Holocaust Remembrance Day approaches on Wednesday, the globe will turn its attention to the narratives of “The Children of October 7.”

As a performer, I have always aimed to utilize my platform for spreading positivity.

However, following the horrors of October 7, when Hamas terrorists brutally murdered over 1,200 innocent individuals in Israel and abducted more than 250, including infants, this granddaughter of Holocaust survivors felt I could no longer simply continue with my dancing and singing.

So, I did what I believed was right: I traveled to Israel to witness the situation for myself.

I had the opportunity to sit down with seven young survivors of the ordeal—children who endured unimaginable horrors that no child should ever have to face—and I listened.

I wept.

And I vowed to ensure the world would hear their stories.

This documentary compiles the children’s testimonies, devoid of political agendas.

Instead, it presents a compelling message of resilience, bravery, innocence, and—most importantly—I believe, hope.

I talked with then-12-year-old Yael Idan, whose home was attacked by Hamas on October 7.

She and her family sought refuge in their safe room, but the terrorists shot through the door.

Their bullets struck Maayan, Yael’s sister, and Yael witnessed her perish right before her eyes.

Yael recounts how the attackers used her mother’s mobile phone to stream the ensuing horror via Facebook for her friends, family, and the world to witness.

She expresses her sorrow over the loss of her father, Tsahi, who was taken captive to Gaza.

While his captors provided proof of life, he was ultimately killed, and his body was finally returned in the latest hostage exchange.

Eitan Yahalomi, a 13-year-old, was taken captive along with his family on October 7. The terrorists separated him from his mother and sister; he later discovered they had managed to escape.

Eitan was taken alone into Gaza.

He shares that he was held in isolation for most of his 52 days of captivity.

His father, Ohad, was shot while trying to defend the family and was subsequently taken hostage, later killed by Hamas.

His body returned to Israel in February.

Yael, Eitan, and the other children featured in the film did not ask for any of this tragedy.

They long to play with friends, attend school, and lead their lives.

Now, they wake up tormented by nightmares.

Some find it impossible to sleep.

They have lost their families.

They have lost their childhoods.

I created this film to amplify the voices of the children of October 7.

Moreover, it aims to provide them a platform to mourn, to be acknowledged, and to reveal the undeniable truth of their experiences.

Their testimonies resonated deeply with me, as I grew up hearing my grandparents’ Holocaust stories.

My grandmother was just 13, the same age as Eitan, when she was sent to Auschwitz.

She witnessed her own mother being brutally beaten before being dragged to the gas chambers.

My grandmother survived.

Her family did not.

I have always believed that the world had learned from the past.

That such atrocities as the Holocaust could never be repeated.

Yet, on October 7, Jewish families were once again targeted.

Infants were slaughtered.

Women were assaulted.

Children were taken as hostages.

And now, a year and a half later, people are questioning the very occurrence.

They are blaming the victims.

They are rationalizing the terror.

Young viewers must hear the truth.

Far too many of our children are getting their news from TikTok—where antisemitism is surging more rapidly than many realize.

I know this firsthand.

I have had my content removed simply for expressing the truth about ongoing attacks on Israel.

I watch Hamas propaganda go viral.

I receive death threats daily.

The eerie similarities between my grandmother’s experiences and those of these children from October 7 are striking.

This is why my documentary premieres on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

This film serves as a wake-up call—a reminder of what can transpire when we overlook evil.

I hope that young people will feel empathy, understanding, and even outrage when they hear directly from their peers.

One cannot look into these kids’ eyes, hear their voices, and remain unchanged.

This film is also a clarion call to action, urging viewers to not only speak out against antisemitism but to advocate for truth, humanity, and for the children who should never have had to endure such atrocities.

Despite everything, the children of October 7 still hold onto hope.

They continue to dream.

They still share laughter.

They aspire to grow up and improve the world.

But first, they deserve justice.

They deserve healing.

Above all, they deserve to be heard.

Montana Tucker is an actor, singer, and social-media activist whose documentary “The Children of October 7” is streaming on Paramount+ with MTV Documentary Films.