Survivers Share Their Story as Drone Footage Surfaces Following Deadly Attack on Israeli Music Festival

A night of music and celebration turned into a nightmare for thousands of Israelis who attended the Tribe of Nova festival near the Gaza border on Saturday. As they danced to electronic beats, Hamas militants infiltrated Israel through a tunnel and opened fire on the unsuspecting crowd. Some of the attackers also targeted nearby communities, kidnapping and killing civilians.
At least 260 people dead and many more missing or wounded.
The survivors described scenes of horror and chaos, as they ran for their lives in an open field, dodging bullets and grenades. Some were intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, which added to their confusion and terror. Many lost their friends or loved ones in the carnage.
Drone footage of the aftermath showed a stark contrast between the festival site and the surrounding area. The festival site appeared mostly intact, with the tents, stages and lights still standing. However, the cars on the roads leading to the site were charred and burned, some of them overturned or smashed. The roads were also marked with skid marks and blood stains, indicating the panic and chaos that ensued when the Hamas militants attacked. The footage also showed some bodies lying on the ground, covered with blankets or plastic sheets by the rescue workers.
The Israeli army said it was caught off guard by the unprecedented attack, which exposed a major security breach. It launched a massive operation to locate and neutralize the militants, who were still roaming the area. It also intensified its airstrikes on Gaza, where more than 200 Palestinians have been killed in the past two weeks.
The festival organizers said they were devastated by the tragedy and expressed their condolences to the victims’ families. They also thanked the security forces and the medical staff for their efforts to save lives. They said they hoped that music could still be a force for peace and coexistence in the future.