Brothers Rada and Raif Rashed, who practice the Arab-minority Druze faith, were hired for a catering job at Israel’s Nova festival on October 7. However, their night quickly turned into a nightmare when Hamas militants launched a violent attack on the event. Despite being Arabic speakers, the brothers struggled to comprehend the unfolding horror. Raif managed to capture footage of the chaos as he fled from the terrorists with the sound of gunfire in the background. He witnessed 10 terrorists brutally attacking a child with hammers, an unimaginable sight that left him in shock. The surprise cross-border attack resulted in the deaths of 250 people, igniting one of the worst hostilities in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in decades.
During the chaos, the brothers were separated, but Rada found another festival worker and together they ran for safety. Back home in northern Israel, Rada reflects on the profound impact the incident has had on him. He feels as though he was reborn on October 7, now considering it his second birthdate. The unimaginable horrors he witnessed left him questioning why he was chosen to witness such atrocities. He mourns the loss of the innocent lives and the inhuman treatment they endured at the hands of Hamas militants. Rada believes that the day of the attack will forever be the most difficult day in the history of the country.
Israel claims that 1,400 people were killed and approximately 240 hostages were taken during the attack. Many of the hostages are believed to be held captive in Hamas’ extensive tunnel network in Gaza, which Israeli troops have begun targeting. Health authorities in Gaza, under Hamas rule, report that over 8,500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks since October 7, with a third of the victims being minors.
