Title: Surviving the Festival of Horror
It was supposed to be a joyous day, filled with music and celebration, but for Millet Ben Haim, October 7, 2023, would turn into a nightmare. At 6.29 a.m., Millet (27) snapped a happy selfie with her friends at the music festival at Kibbutz Re'im. Just two minutes later, rocket alarms blared, and chaos ensued.
"This is not a drill"
As festival-goers danced and reveled in the early morning sun, they had no idea the horrors that awaited them. "We were dancing and having the best time," Millet says. "The music stopped at 6.30 a.m., and we thought something must have happened with the speakers. We had no idea what was to come."
Palestinian terrorists stormed the site, murdering 364 festival-goers and deporting 40 to Gaza.
Escape Impossible
Millet and her friends tried to flee, but their escape route was quickly blocked by Hamas terrorists controlling the roads. They turned around and tried to drive in the opposite direction. But it was no use. Hours later, they found themselves hiding in a bush, surrounded by gunfire and whizzing bullets.
"They will just rape and murder me"
Millet huddled with three other women, terrified of what fate awaited them if they were discovered. "I could only think of my death," she recalls. "If they found me, I knew they would rape and murder me. I prayed that a rocket would strike me and end my suffering."
The Miracle of Survival
But fate had other plans. A civilian named Ramy Davidian rescued Millet and over 100 others that day. After hours of hiding, she came out, her heart pounding with fear. But she made it out alive, her darkest night finally fading into dawn.
The Aftermath
The attack left Millet and countless others with unimaginable trauma. "I don't feel like it's over," she says. "My cousin was shot dead. We miss friends and family members. Our soldiers are over there fighting. Every day they shoot rockets at us."
Yet, despite her heartache, Millet remains determined to tell her story. "I want to ensure no one can deny what happened," she says. "I want to remember those we lost and honor their memories."
Palestine-Israel Conflict
The festive attack in Kibbutz Re'im was yet another tragic event in the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel. Groups like Hamas, known for their extremist ideologies, continue to escalate violence in the Gaza Strip. The international community calls for an end to the violence, but efforts to find a peaceful solution have been elusive.
For Millet Ben Haim and survivors like her, the pain lingers but their testimonies serve as a grim reminder of the brutal realities that often accompany conflicts rooted in religion, borders, and power.
