The Children of October 7
The Children of October 7 is a 2024 Israeli documentary film in which dancer and activist Montana Tucker interviews seven of the young victims of the October 7 attacks.
Synopsis
The film opens with Kfir Bibas, the baby Hamas kidnapped on October 7 and subsequently killed, laughing. After a trigger warning, it continues with footage of the attacks juxtaposed with personal photos. Among the victims interviewed is List of [Gaza war hostages|Eitan Yahalomi], who was abducted by Hamas and released in the 2023 exchange of [Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners]. He describes being kidnapped on a motorcycle, beaten by a mob, and forced at gunpoint to watch videos of the terrorists killing people.Also interviewed are Rotem Mathias, who was saved from being taken hostage by hiding under his mother's dead body; Alona Rousso and Yella Rousso, from Kfar Aza; and Ella Shani of Kibbutz Be'eri.
Amit Cohen of Nir Oz recounts that the same bullet that passed through his father's leg hit his dog.
11-year-old Yael Idan, who saw her sister killed and her father taken hostage from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, describes the events while the film shows footage from a video that Hamas members livestreamed on Facebook.
The children's ages range from 11 to 17.
Production
Tucker, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, was approached by an Israeli film company years after Tucker's work on a Holocaust docuseries. Tucker was aware of Holocaust denial and wanted to contribute to the historical record to counter October 7 denial. She compared the two scenarios by noting the children lost "their families, their homes, and their innocence in a single morning". Asaf Becker produced the film. A psychologist was on set at all times.After Tucker and CBS vice president of communications Andrea Ballas met at an event, Ballas brought the film to Shari Redstone's attention. Redstone noted her interest in informing and educating the public about the horrors of the October 7 attack on Israel and the "aftermath for thousands of children who will forever suffer from the impact of that day". The film was picked up by Paramount+, where it premiered on April 23, 2025, followed by an airing on MTV.