The body of a 25-year-old Israeli woman, who was believed to be one of the hostages taken by Hamas during an attack on a music festival near the Gaza border, has been discovered after seven weeks, as per reports. Shani Gabay, who was working at the Supernova music festival on October 7, called her mother early in the morning to inform her about the rockets overhead and seek advice. Gabay’s mother instructed her to leave her car and find a hiding spot. She took refuge in a field shelter near Kibbutz Alumim, but her friends who survived the attack stated that the gunmen threw grenades at the shelter. In an attempt to escape, Gabay ran back to her car but was shot. She was then taken to a police command post for medical assistance but was never seen again.
Gabay’s family embarked on a search for her at hospitals and medical centers where the injured from the attack were taken. Her father even went to the site of the party to gather any clues about her whereabouts. Despite his efforts, Gabay remained missing for seven weeks until her body was discovered. Yokneam Mayor Simon Alfasi expressed his grief, stating, “Our Shani is gone. Our hearts are broken into pieces. We are all crying and refuse to believe, how much we waited for a different ending.” Gabay’s brother also mentioned that she was advised to run, but it is unclear whether she was able to do so effectively.
The music festival, which had approximately 3,000 attendees, was one of the primary targets of the Hamas attack. Gunmen reportedly infiltrated the site using motorcycles, trucks, and even gliders, as seen in viral videos. The attack marked a tragic event, leaving Gabay and others as victims of the violence.
