Dawn breaks in Israel on anniversary of Hamas attacks
The scene at the Nova music festival memorial near Re’im in southern Israel on Monday, October 7, 2024
At just after 5:30 a.m. in Israel, people began gathering at the site of the Nova music festival, where Hamas militants murdered 347 people and took 40 others hostage on October 7 last year.
The event Monday in the Negev desert is the first of several gatherings to mark the one-year anniversary of the attacks that killed more than 1,200 people, saw more than 250 taken hostage and triggered Israel’s devastating war in Gaza.
While the atmosphere at the memorial site is somber, reminders of the conflict are ever present. Just 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Gaza perimeter, the sound of outgoing artillery rounds echoes through the quiet morning every few minutes as the sun begins to rise.
Tributes to those killed in last year's Hamas attacks at the Nova music festival memorial near Re’im in southern Israel on October 7, 2024
"He was the glue of our family": Cousin pays tribute to man killed at Nova festival
Friends and family members of Mor Meir Trabalsi gathered at the site of the Nova Music Festival
Hundreds of family members and friends are gathering for a ceremony honoring those killed in Hamas’ attack at the site of the Nova music festival in southern Israel on October 7.
Danielle Cohen, whose cousin Mor Meir Trabalsi was murdered while trying to escape the attack, attended alongside several friends and family members. The group, all wearing blue t-shirts with Trabalsi’s name and photograph printed on them, gathered at a small memorial to honor him, one of hundreds erected on the site.
Trabalsi was shot dead while driving his wife and friends away from the festival. He told everyone in the car to duck down and kept going — likely saving their lives while losing his.
The survivors, including his new wife, were trapped in the car with Trabalsi’s body for about five hours before the Israeli army rescued them, Cohen said.
“He was 27 years old and got married just one month before,” Cohen told CNN. “He was the best cousin that you can wish that you would have. He was the glue of our family.”
Cohen said Trabalsi’s wedding was the biggest she’s ever been to, with more than 800 people attending.
“It’s unusual for Israeli weddings to be that big, but Mor had more friends than people I know in my life. He was that person that is always surrounded by friends, and everybody wanted to be his friend,” she said, a tear rolling down her face.
“Looking back, the wedding was like a big farewell party for him.”
“It’s still unimaginable”: co-founder of Nova music festival tells CNN
This aerial photo shows the site of the attack on the Nova music festival by Hamas militants in southern Israel, on October 10
Everything changed at 6:29 a.m. on October 7 last year at the Nova music festival in the Negev desert, said event co-founder Ofir Amir.
“A year has passed but we still feel like we are on October 7, (like) it was just a long day that never ends,” Amir told CNN’s Bianna Golodryga.
“The dance floor is supposed to be the safest place on Earth where it doesn’t matter where you come from, you can be whatever you want to be. We believe that when you are on the dance floor it doesn’t matter who you are, what religion, what color we all the same,” he said.
“It’s still unimaginable what happened on that day.”
Amir, who was shot in both legs, was among the last people to leave the festival site.
Hamas fighters killed 347 people and took others hostage at the festival on October 7 last year, according to the Israeli military.
Also speaking to CNN, Yariv Mozer, director of “We Will Dance Again” — a documentary on the festival attack — said it was important to chronicle how the events unfolded, minute-by-minute, using footage from survivors and videos taken by Hamas fighters as evidence of the brutality they faced that day.
Last edited by SvennoJ - on 07 October 2024
