‘Nothing Was Going to Stop Me’: Despite Hamas Firing Rockets, Israelis Gather to Mark Oct. 7 Anniversary

The whirring sounds of helicopters and booms from the fighting in Gaza punctuated the early morning memorial ceremony at the site of the Supernova rave, where nearly 400 people were killed and dozens more taken hostage to Gaza exactly one year earlier during Hamas’s brutal attack on Oct. 7.

The ceremony began at 6:29 am — the minute Hamas terrorists began gunning down revelers under the cover of rocket fire — with a minute’s silence.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog attended the ceremony, saying it was a date that would “live in infamy.”

“Exactly one year ago, right here in this forest and throughout the area, hundreds of our dear brothers and sisters were massacred, murdered, kidnapped, and raped,” he said. “Innocent citizens, who lived their lives in peace, who came to celebrate at a party. It was the greatest disaster since our founding.”

At the same time, Herzog also recalled the “extraordinary acts of spirit” by the Israeli people in the wake of the onslaught and called for Oct. 7 to reflect a day of unity in the country going forward.

The event was marred by the sounds of sirens in the nearby communities of Holit and Sufa when four rockets were fired from northern Gaza, three of which were intercepted and one landing in an open field. The barrage was one of many throughout the day from both Hezbollah to the north in Lebanon and Hamas in the south in Gaza, extending as far as the central city of Tel Aviv. Hamas’s military wing later took responsibility for the strike on Tel Aviv, saying it had launched M16 rockets. But according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hamas had planned much more intensive rocket attacks that were foiled when fighter jets struck several launchers and tunnels across Gaza moments before 6:30 am.

Eric Goldstein, CEO of the UJA-Federation, addressed the crowd in English, reflecting on the interconnectedness between Israeli and Diaspora Jews.

“We the Jews of America deeply understand that an attack against you is an attack against us,” he said. “The events of Oct. 7 and the reverberations in America showed how deeply interconnected we truly are and we are forever indebted to you, the people of Israel, for fighting and sacrificing on behalf of Jews everywhere.”

He hailed the “extraordinary heroism and resilience” of Nova survivors.

“The courage, the unbreakable spirit, the determination of the Nova tribe to keep dancing has moved all of us in an incredibly profound way. Please know that the New York Jewish community, the American Jewish community, will be with the Nova tribe and all of the people of Israel forever,” he concluded.

Many attendees said they were not deterred from coming, despite the threat from Gaza, just two miles away, and the Home Front Command’s advice to stay close to shelters. “I had to come; I lost so many friends here that day,” Ily Cohen, who wore a t-shirt bearing the images of two of his murdered friends, told The Algemeiner. “If I didn’t come, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I don’t know how this scar will ever heal.”

Rami Davidian, a 58-year-old farmer hailed as a national hero for risking his life to save hundreds during the Supernova massacre by repeatedly shuttling people from the site to safety, said he still suffers from severe PTSD due to the horrific scenes he witnessed that day.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been a year. I’m trying to make the connection between the Rami of Oct. 6 [2023] and the Rami of now. But I’m failing,” he told The Algemeiner.

Ceremonies were held all day in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, beginning the prior evening with several members of the hostages family, including released hostage Sapir Cohen, whose partner Sasha Troufanov is still being held captive.

Sapir, who was released in November, reflected on her time in captivity, sharing a deep sense of divine providence, even though she doesn’t consider herself particularly religious. “I saw a girl curled up like a fetus, shaking, and a man sitting with his eyes closed for hours, refusing to open them or be part of the situation. At that moment, I realized God had sent me to a place where I could do something truly meaningful — I could help the other hostages,” she said. “From that point on, I didn’t care if I would continue to live or what would happen to me. I simply put all my problems aside and transformed from a fearful person with many anxieties into a strong, confident individual.”

Here, too, members of the public said they weren’t nervous about coming out, despite the threat of rocket and terror attacks from multiple fronts.

“I’m not scared at all. I came to show solidarity, nothing was going to stop me,” Irit Shachar told The Algemeiner.

A moment of silence was observed by the families of hostages the following morning outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem.

Shir Siegel, the daughter of former hostage Aviva Siegel, and Keith Siegel, who is still being held in Gaza, said, “A year since 15 terrorists broke into my parents’ house. A year of mortal fear that no one can understand. A year since my father was shot and slammed against the wall by terrorists, who broke his ribs. A year has passed, but it feels like one long day. 101 hostages are still in Oct. 7th, still praying for rescue, hoping to be told they’re going home to their families, safe at last.”

Niva Wenkert, the mother of Omer Wenkert, addressed her son: “Omeri, my life, I miss you. I feel your absence with every breath, every moment in my body. What I fear most, my Omeri, is the look in your eyes when you return, asking: ‘Where were you?'”

Another memorial organized by the families of victims and hostages was planned for later in the evening at HaYarkon Park in Tel Aviv, coinciding with the government-led event in Ofakim, a southern town that also bore the brunt of the Hamas attack. Both memorials were set to be held without an audience due to security concerns and broadcast on national television.

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