TV-MA | 4 episodes | Drama | 2025
What do the families of Fatma Alttalaqat, an Arab Muslim Bedouin, and Jewish kibbutz resident Ohad Yahalomi have in common? They were both victims of the Hamas 10/7 terrorist attacks. They both also exhibited tremendous courage that fateful day.
Fittingly, the Alttalaqats and the Yahalomis are some of the real-life focal-characters depicted in creator-writer-director Lior Chefetz’s four-part fact-based TV series, “Red Alert.”
It started out as a sunny Saturday morning. The Yahalomis were just waking up, while Fatma “Nur” Alttalaqat (Anat Hadid) was driving to her job in the Israeli city Ofakim with her husband Ayub (Hisham Suliman), their infant son, Amal, and two Arab neighbors.
“Kobi” (a pseudonym, Israel Atias) was just relieved from an overtime detail providing security for the Nova music festival, by his wife “Nofar” (also an alias, Chen Amsalem). Itamar Haddad (Nevo Katan), an Israel Defense Force (IDF) trainee solder on leave, had recently arrived home, where his mother Tali (Sara Vino) had duly fussed over him.
Sirens
Then, suddenly, a barrage of rockets hurtled towards southern Israel from Gaza. The Iron Dome largely held up, intercepting almost all the deadly projectiles, but Hamas terrorists successfully breached the border defenses.
The titular alarm sirens gave civilians like the Yahalomi family less than 10 minutes to secure themselves in their safe rooms. Unfortunately, their shelter’s door handle needed repair, but, ordinarily, red alerts only lasted a few minutes, until the bombardments subsided.
However, as their smart phones erupted with early reports of violent atrocities, Ohad (Miki Leon) and his wife Bat Sheva (Rotem Sela) realized they might need to protect their son Eitan (Ori Ran Gilad) and his two younger siblings, Yael (Libi Atia) and little Tamar (Shay-Lee Keren Sharvit), from Hamas intruders.
Despite an inherited antipathy against Israel, Ayub similarly focuses on his large and growing family, never allowing his resentments to metastasize into militancy. Yet he never imagined Hamas would open fire on a car full of fellow Arab Muslims, but that is exactly what they do.
Concurrently, Kobi is immediately recalled to service because his primary duties were with the police department’s counterterrorism department. Nofar desperately requests backup to protect the traumatized festival patrons, but Kobi and his partner, Fasaha “Mula” Awichaw (Adam Kende), must first fight their way through the terrorists marauding through the city.
As the reports reach the Haddad household in the fourth storyline, Itamar grabs his rifle and rushes to join his fellow IDF comrades on the frontlines. His mother could not stop him, but her maternal instincts send her out in search of him. However, instead of her son, she finds multiple victims in dire need of ambulance service, so she starts ferrying the wounded to the nearest hospital.
Bravery and Tragedy
Each episode is titled for the time of that fateful day at which they commence, beginning with “6:29 AM” and concluding with “12:15 PM.” The series encompasses less than half a day, but within that time, Chefetz chronicles tremendous bravery, agonizing tragedy, and appalling savagery. Yet he does so in an inclusive manner, reminding the world how Arab Israelis also suffered on Oct. 7.
Indeed, “Red Alert” highlights the diversity of Israeli society, where Israelis of Arab and Ethiopian descent live together in peace (when not attacked by Iranian-backed terrorists), as full citizens. Unfortunately, not all four major narrative strands can build towards happy endings, because they are scrupulously based on documented events that transpired during those fateful hours.
In fact, some viewers might recognize the Yahalomi family, because now 14-year-old Eitan was interviewed at length by hostage-advocate Montana Tucker in the recent “The Children of October 7.” Frankly, those who stream “Red Alert” should follow it up with the short documentary hosted by Tucker, to learn Eitan’s fate.
Realistic Drama
Regardless, Chefetz crafted some viscerally intense and uncomfortably realistic drama. Amsalem and Atias share potent romantic chemistry as the married police officers, Nofar and Kobi. Likewise, Leon and Sela project the fierce, unyielding protectiveness of the Yahalomis, which makes the conclusion of their story so heartbreaking.
Vino is quite touching as Tali, the resourceful mom, who refused to abandon other mothers’ sons. Plus, Suliman really challenges preconceptions, delivering a deeply complex and conflicted performance as Ayub.
Arguably, the work of the entire cast is highly relatable and believable, presumably because they could easily envision themselves in such positions, had they been near Gaza on that day of infamy—especially since much of the series was shot at the actual locations.
Some critics will inevitably accuse Chefetz and company (including producer Lawrence Bender, whose past producing credits include “Pulp Fiction” and “Hacksaw Ridge”) of including insufficient background history to explain (or even “justify”) Hamas terrorism. Rather, they focus laser-like on the unvarnished events of Oct. 7, as they happened.
It takes viewers to the besieged kibbutzim, forcing us to confront the violence that unfolds. Somehow, though, Chefetz keeps the worst of the blood and gore off-screen, showing and implying just enough to make the reality of Hamas’s carnage inescapably palpable.
Consequently, “Red Alert” can be an overwhelming viewing experience, but the four episodes of roughly 45 minutes break it up into manageable installments. Yet the keen human drama and deeply humanistic performances ought to keep open-minded audiences hooked. Very highly recommended.
“Red Alert” streams on Paramount+.
‘Red Alert’
Director: Lior Chefetz
Starring: Rotem Sela, Chen Amsalem, Sara Vino, Hisham Suliman, Ori Ran Gelad
TV Parental Guidance: TV-MA
Epsiodes: 4
Release Date: Oct. 7, 2025
Rated: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to features@epochtimes.nyc
