Remembering Those Lost: A Year After the Nova Festival Attack

A year ago, Hamas militants stormed the Nova music festival in Israel. To honor those who lost their lives, a memorial was held at the same spot this past Monday. The memorial began with a song that had played during last year's attack. It was abruptly stopped to mark the moment of the tragedy. Family and friends of the victims gathered, sharing hugs and tears as they remembered their loved ones. Israeli President Isaac Herzog attended the ceremony, speaking with families who had lost members in the attack. The family of Gabriel Barel, a 22-year-old who was killed during the festival, was particularly noticeable. Gabriel's three brothers, mother, and best friend surrounded his portrait amidst many other memorials. Gabriel wasn’t supposed to be at the festival. He didn’t have a ticket but managed to get in anyway. When the first rockets were fired from Gaza, he received a call from his mom in Ashkelon who was scared and alone. Despite the danger, Gabriel decided to go help her. His brother Yeoda, the youngest of the four siblings, shared that Gabriel’s main concern was for their mother's safety, not his own. Noam, Gabriel’s best friend from the military, described him as a fun-loving guy who enjoyed being around friends and was saving money for a trip to South America. To capture Gabriel’s outgoing spirit, those gathered took a selfie around his portrait, smiling brightly for the camera.