Lior Bensoussan is the cofounder of the Tel Aviv gym Humble Club. He was called up for reserve duty on October 7th and eventually spent nearly a month and a half fighting inside Gaza in Israel's war against Hamas.
Lior's Instagram handle: lior.bensouss
Episode timeline:
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:14 Joining the Army and Training
08:35 Entering Gaza and the Reality of War
30:04 Crossing into Gaza and Initial Impressions
36:35 Searching for Tunnels and Hostages
41:31 The Job and Experience in Gaza
45:32 The Role of Luck and Randomness in War
45:55 Randomness and Close Calls
47:12 Sleeping Conditions
48:24 Getting Used to the Sounds
49:02 Guard Duty and Sleep Patterns
51:11 Sleeping While Tired
51:18 Mental Focus During Missions
52:46 Food in the Army
54:37 The Shitty Existence of Soldiers
56:13 Motivation and Purpose
57:15 Silencing Negative Thoughts
58:57 The Fruits of Sacrifice
01:00:50 Eating Military Rations
01:04:32 Life After the Army
01:07:30 Leaving the Army
01:08:43 Communication with Family
01:12:14 Feeling Guilty
01:17:40 Possibility of Being Called Back
01:18:52 Loss and Mourning
01:20:47 Impact of Traumatic Experiences
01:23:10 Gratitude for Support
01:28:19 Impact of Music and Support for Soldiers
01:29:07 Generosity and Appreciation in Israeli Culture
01:30:20 Changing Attitudes Towards Military Service
01:31:20 The Importance of National Defense
