Netflix star Lior Raz has shared his experience of profound psychological trauma following the October 7 Hamas attacks. While staying in Romania, the Fauda co-creator returned to Israel to assist in rescue efforts near the Gaza border.
From Duvdevan operative to Jeep-driving rescuer
Lior Raz’s response to the October 7 attacks was heavily shaped by his history as a covert operative for the elite Duvdevan unit. After receiving a frantic call from his sister at a kibbutz near the Gaza border,Raz traveled from Romania to join the volunteer organization Brothers and Sisters In Arms. He described the feeling of being unable to help from abroad as being like a "lion caged."
As the report says,Raz eventually drove a Jeep through active conflict zones to evacuate families trapped by missile fire. This transition from a detached European hotel room to the front lines of a national crisis underscores the visceral connection between his professional military training and his personal sense of duty to his community.
The loss of Matan Meir and Idan Amedi's injuries
The production of Fauda Season 5 has been profoudnly impacted by the ongoing conflict in Israel. The reprt notes that production team member Matan Meir was killed in November 2023 while serving as a reservist in the Israel Defence Forces. Furthermore, actor Idan Amedi suffered significant shrapnel and burn wounds to his neck, jaw, and eye sockets during an explosion in January 2024.
The proximity of the war was so intense that soldiers heading into Gaza were frequently seen passing the filming set. These real-world casualties have forced the cast and crew to navigate a production environment where the lines between a television set and a war zone are virtually non-existent, making the act of filming deeply personal and often harrowing.
When civilians mistoook Raz for his character, Doron Kavillio
The blurring of fiction and reality created surreal moments for Raz during his humanitarian missions. While knocking on doors with a weapon drawn to assist residents, Raz encountered people who believed they were seeing his character, Doron Kavillio, in real life. This confusion highlights the strange duality of a man whose fictional persona is a commando, yet whose real-life actions are driven by the immediate need to protect his neighbors.
Raz even had to film a scene involving a rubbish container—a recreation of a real tragedy where young Israelis were killed—which he described as one of his most difficult professional challenges. The cast struggled to separate their scripted performances from their own lived experiences of grief and survival.
Can two special episodes capture the scale of October 7?
While Raz and co-writer Avi Issacharoff have decided to include two special episodes focused on the October 7 attacks, several questions remain regarding the show's direction. The source mentions that some viewers, including those in the Arab world, have criticized the decision to avoid showing the full brutality of the attacks. It remains to be seen whether this "delicate" approach will be viewed as a respectful way to avoid creating a "snuff movie" or as a watering down of historical reality.
Additionally, the long-term psychological impact on the next generation of Israelis, including Raz's own children who struggle with the fear of sirens, remains a significant, unaddressed concern. The trauma of the conflict continues to leave a lasting imprint on the nation, far beyond the reach of television cameras.
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