The site of the Nova music festival, where spectators were killed and kidnapped during a cross-border attack by Hamas militants near Kibbutz Reim in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, on 12 October. Photo:Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
The Israeli TV channel Keshet 12 in cooperation with the international distribution company Keshet International has announced the creation of a five-episode drama series called Red Alert. This project will tell the story of the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023, when more than 1,200 people died in a massive attack and about 250 people were taken hostage.
The plot of the series: personal tragedies and heroism
The series will focus on five people who were caught in the middle of the attack and had to fight for their lives. Their struggle against an armed enemy they never expected will become the basis for stories of tragedy, loss and extraordinary courage.
The script is being written and directed by Lior Shefetz, the author of the acclaimed Yom Kippur War drama The Stronghold. Ruth Efroni, Kineret Peled and Idan Hubel will co-write the script. The series will be filmed in three languages – Hebrew, Arabic and English – and is scheduled to premiere in October 2025, on the second anniversary of the tragedy.
Recognised producers and international support
The project is being created with the participation of world-renowned producer Lawrence Bender, whose company Bender Brown Productions has been nominated for 36 Oscars and won nine of them. Israeli production studio Green Productions also joined the team.
Financial support is provided by the Jewish National Fund of the United States, the Israel Entertainment Fund, and Jordana Ruben Yechiel.
An emotional journey through tragedy
Karni Ziv, Head of Drama and Comedy at Keshet 12, said:
*”We have been searching for the right approach to tell the story of such a deep and painful experience. In the series *’Red Alert’, the human drama often comes to the fore, leaving the war as a background or a full-fledged plot. It is a story of hope and solidarity. “*
Producer Lawrence Bender added:
“This story will show the indomitable human spirit, the inevitability of choice and the struggle in the face of unimaginable challenges. It’s going to be an emotional and gripping series.”
Filming will start in spring 2025. The Red Alert series promises to be a large-scale international project that will combine drama, dynamics and documentary depth, preserving the memory of the victims and heroes of the tragic day.
