After the October 7th Hamas-led attack on Israel, the Israeli officer, Michelle Rukovitzin, was left in a coma. Still, her boyfriend never left her side as he proposed to her during a romantic boat trip.
The 21-year-old was one of the Israeli intelligence system technicians who sustained life-threatening injuries during the attack by Hamas near the Kissufim base in the northwestern Negev desert in Israel.Â
Moreover, Rukovitzin spent three months in a coma after the militants shot her multiple times, causing severe nerve damage to her lower body.
Young woman left wheelchair bound after being shot in the head during the October 7th attack gets proposed to by her boyfriend.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) September 3, 2024
Michelle Rukovitzin, 21 was left in a COMA for 3 months after being shot multiple times by Hxmas, with doctors uncertain if she would ever recover.… pic.twitter.com/OtVyrj51mS
She is still recovering from the trauma and remains in a wheelchair. Likewise, she was over the moon when her boyfriend of four years, Rinat Kasimov, proposed to her at the fourth-anniversary celebration, surrounded by their family.
The video of their engagement surfaced on Twitter when Oli London reposted the video from Israel’s official account with the caption, “Young woman left wheelchair-bound after being fatally attacked in the head during the October 7th attack gets proposed to by her boyfriend.“
Similarly, the romantic moment received a positive response from Israel supporters, who left encouraging messages on their posts. One user wrote, “So happy she survived. He’s a wonderful man for sticking by her side, even before engagement and marriage. Rare find. The perfect example of sickness and health.“
Doctors were uncertain about Michelle Rukovitzin’s survival, but she stayed strong during treatment!
Before her engagement, Rukovitzin had a farewell event at the hospital where several media personnel and her family members were present.
In a clip shared on her boyfriend’s Instagram, the Israeli officer is in a wheelchair as Rinat cuts off the hospital band off her arms. The caption mentioned that it marked the end of a long period and the beginning of a new one.
Additionally, the post claimed that Rukovitzin wouldn’t have recovered without the immense support from the local community and Israeli people worldwide.
21-year-old Michelle Rukovitzin was shot in the head on Oct. 7 by the Gaza Arab government elected by Arabs, known as Hamas. She is left crippled and in a wheelchair. If I say what I think should be done to the Gaza Arabs who supported this, well, I better not. After the… pic.twitter.com/VigdnqxAEj
— Lewis Loflin (@Lewis90068157) September 4, 2024
The incident involving Rukovitzin comes in a long list of hostage attacks carried out by Hamas as they have repeatedly suggested their plan to destroy the captives if IDF attempts to approach their hiding places.
In a previous turn of events, the soldiers discovered the bodies of six hostages, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, sparking nationwide protests about a ceasefire deal and the incapability of Netanyahu to minimize the casualties of the Israeli population even after 11 months of conflict with Gaza.
After such devastating news, the video of Rukovitzin and her boyfriend’s engagement was considered a much-needed moment of joy for people in Israel.
Since October 7, Hamas has captured more than 250 hostages from their homes and concerts. As part of Israeli retaliation, the IDF has killed over 40,000 Palestinians while displacing the majority of its 2.5 million population, which has opened discussions about a humanitarian crisis.
Additional Information
- Michelle Rukovitzin joined the IDF under compulsory rule, which states that every citizen over 18 who is Jewish, Druze, or Circassian must serve the nation.
- After the attack, Rukovitzin’s life changed entirely as the multiple shots deformed her facial and physical structure.
