Israeli music festival goers have been killed following yesterday’s (October 8) attack in which Palestinian militants launched an early morning attack on Southern Israel.
Fans attending the festival reported that rockets began to hit the site around 6:30am (via CNN) before gunfire opened up on those in attendance soon after.
At the time of writing, media reports say that over 400 Israelis have been killed in the wider conflict, with over 2000 injured and over 100 abducted. According to The Guardian, around 350 Palestinians have also been killed since fighting began. Separate reports from media outlets in the area say up to 250 people have been reported killed at the music festival alone, although there has as yet, been no official confirmation of these figures.
Eyewitnesses at the festival said gunmen left multiple festival goers dead while dozens were taken hostage. Videos have been circulating on social media showing different attendees being taken hostage.
One eyewitness told CNN they began hearing sirens and rockets while at an all-night event at the festival, a rave that borders the desert near Kibbutz Re’im. “We didn’t even have any place to hide because we were at [an] open space. Everyone got so panicked and started to take their stuff,” they explained.
Footage from the music festival that took place on the Israel-Gaza border before the Hamas attack
The fate of many of the participants remains unknown. They may have been killed or kidnapped. pic.twitter.com/YoZswCEj43
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 8, 2023
The eyewitness also reported seeing multiple casualties and fatalities at the scene.
The outdoor trance music festival was reportedly produced by NOVA productions, beginning at 11pm and continued throughout the night. According to The Times of Israel, it was attended by thousands of Israelis aged around 20-40 from all over the country. NME has reached out to NOVA productions for comment.
Another eyewitness speaking to the BBC said gunmen opened fire when festival-goers ran to an adjacent forest for cover.
“They were going tree by tree and shooting. Everywhere. From two sides. I saw people were dying all around. I was very quiet. I didn’t cry, I didn’t do anything,” Gili Yoskovich said.
She continued: “But I was on the one hand breathing, saying: ‘OK, I’m going to die. It’s OK, just breathe, just close your eyes,’ because it was shooting everywhere, it was very very close to me.
“Then I heard the terrorists open a big van…and get more weapons from this car. They were in the area for three hours. No-one was there, no-one.
“I was sure the army would come, I heard some helicopters, I was sure the army would come down with helicopters and ropes and go down into this field and save us. But no-one was there. Just all these terrorists.”
Today (October 8) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a television address: “We are at war and we will win it,” before announcing a call-up of hundreds of thousands of Israeli military reservists.
Muhammad Deif, the leader of Hamas’s military wing, said in a recorded message the group had launched an “operation” so that “the enemy will understand that the time of their rampaging without accountability has ended,” citing the Arab-Israeli war of 1967.
This is a developing story – more to follow
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