The Nova Festival in Kibbutz Re’im was a joyous occasion on October 7 at 6:29 am. Millet Ben Haim and her friends were beaming with excitement as they captured memories of the festivities on camera. However, their elation was short-lived as air raid sirens pierced the air just two minutes later.
Without warning, Hamas fighters descended upon the festival site, causing chaos and devastation. The result of the attack was catastrophic, with 364 festival visitors dead and 40 taken hostage. Miraculously, Millet survived the ordeal and shared her harrowing experience in an interview with German newspaper Bild.
She described the sudden shift in atmosphere as music abruptly halted due to the ominous sound of rockets filling the sky. Millet and her friends tried to flee in their car, but their escape plan was thwarted when terrorists opened fire on cars ahead of them. Desperate to escape, they changed direction only to encounter more violence. They eventually took off on foot through the fields, hoping to find safety.
After hours of wandering aimlessly and seeking shelter, they stumbled upon a bush where three other women were hiding from the terrorists. Their prayers were answered when Ramy Davidian, a civilian who had saved hundreds of lives that day, found and rescued them.
Now reunited with her family, Millet is grateful for her survival but struggles to cope with the trauma and loss resulting from the attack. She feels like a different person, unable to connect with loved ones and overwhelmed by the magnitude of what happened that day.
The tragedy at Kibbutz Re’im has left many families grieving for their loved ones lost during this horrific event.
