Families, festivalgoers, soldiers and foreigners: victims of the Hamas assault on Israel

  • 10/14/2023
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In the early morning of Saturday 7 October, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, sending thousands of missiles and hundreds of gunmen across the border from the Gaza Strip. The assault – which targeted military bases and civilians in towns and villages, kibbutzim and at a music festival – killed more more than 1,300 people. Among the dead were Israeli civilians and soldiers, and many people from countries across the world. Below are some of their names and stories Israeli victims The Kedem family Parents Tamar and Yonatan and their twin daughters Shachar and Arbel, 6, and son Omer, 4. The family – who lived at the Nir Oz kibbutz, near the southern Gaza Strip – fled to their safe room when the attacks began but were murdered by Hamas militants. Lior Asulin Former Israeli football player Lior Asulin was among those killed at the Supernova music festival, his former club Hapoel Tel Aviv said on Twitter. Asulin, who had just turned 43, had been celebrating his birthday at the festival. Yaron Shai, Idan Raz and Ofir Liebstein Hapoel said its fans Yaron Shai, Idan Raz and Ofir Liebstein (pictured), who was head of the Sha’ar Hanegev regional council, had been killed in the Hamas assault and that its youth football coach Alon Shamli was one of those shot dead in Egypt when a police officer opened fire on Israeli tourists on Sunday. Osher Vaknin Osher Vaknin, one of the Supernova festival’s organisers, was killed at the event. His twin brother, Michael, is still missing. Oriya Ricardo Oriya, 26, was also among those killed at the festival. Her mother, Hannie, described her daughter as a “beautiful, cheerful, amazing girl”. Hannah Ben-Artzi The 69-year-old was killed in Kfar Aviv by a rocket while trying to open a public shelter for people without access to shelters in their homes, Haaretz reported. She had three children and six grandchildren. Dvir Karp Dvir Karp, 46, is reported to have died while trying to protect his children as the attackers stormed the Re’im kibbutz. His partner, Stav, is also believed to have been murdered in the attack. Itay and Hadar Berdichevsky Married couple Itay (right) and Hadar Berdichevsky, both 30, are believed to have placed their 10-month-old twins in a hidden shelter when they heard the militants at the door. The couple were killed but the babies survived the attack. Lt Col Yonatan Steinberg The commanding officer of the Nahal infantry brigade was killed by a Hamas militant while en route to the clashes on the Gaza border on Saturday. The 42-year-old soldier is one of the most senior Israel Defence Forces officers to have been killed in combat in recent memory. Foreign victims Deborah and Shlomi Matias US citizens Deborah and Shlomi Matias were shot dead by Hamas militants as they hid in their safe room, CNN reported. Deborah’s father, Ilan Troen, said his daughter was killed as she tried to shield her son from the bullets. Hayim Katsman Another US citizen, Hayim Katsman, 32, was shot as he hid inside a closet in a shelter on the Holit kibbutz, near the Gaza border, with his friend Avital Alajem. She told CNN that militants began firing at the door. “I was saved because he was next to the door and they shot him.” Danielle Waldman Danielle Waldman, a 24-year-old American, was killed during the Hamas attack on a music festival. Her father, Eyal, said: “Each and everyone that met her have loved her. She’s done nothing wrong and nothing bad to anyone.” Igal and Amit Wachs Two Israeli-American brothers, Igal Wachs, 53, and Amit Wachs, 48, were killed when Hamas gunmen stormed their village ,near the Gaza border, Igal’s ex-wife, Liat Oren-Wachs, told CNN. Daniel Ben Senior Daniel Senior, a 34-year-old Israeli-American who had been working at the Nova music festival near the Gaza-Israel border, was killed, her father told CNN. Rotem Neumann Rotem Neumann, a 25-year-old Portuguese-Israeli citizen and student in Tel Aviv, was killed as she tried to flee the Nova festival early on Saturday morning. Maya Villalobo Sinvany A 19-year-old Spanish-Israeli woman who was undertaking military service in Israel was killed near the Gaza border on Saturday. In a tribute, her family said: “It is with great sadness and love that we say goodbye to our beloved Maya. She will always be in our memory as a happy little girl who was full of love, as a teenager who longed to discover the world, and as a young woman who loved Spain and her parents.” Rodolfo Fabián Skariszewski A 56-year-old Argentinian who lived on a co-operative in Ohad, southern Israel, was killed on Saturday morning. “We will always be together,” his son, Yhonatan , wrote on Facebook. “Rest in peace.” Ronit Rudman Sultan Ronit Rudman Sultan, 55, who lived on the Holit kibbutz near the border with Gaza, was murdered along with her husband, Roland Sultan. “My dear brother and my sister-in-law were murdered,” Roland’s sister, Nathalie, wrote on Facebook. “The head cannot understand, the heart cries and the words won’t come out because of the pain.” Silvia Mirensky Buenos Aires-born Silvia Mirensky, 80, died when her home on the Ein HaShlosha kibbutz in southern Israel was set ablaze by Hamas early on Saturday. Abi Korin Abi Korin, who was born in Argentina in 1967 and emigrated to Israel in the late 1980s, was killed on the Jolit kibbutz. “Abi was in charge of security there,” said his mother, Sara. “He died fighting – we don’t know how, but we’re sure it was while defending others in the community.” Ranani Glazer and Bruna Valeanu Two Brazilians, Ranani Glazer and Bruna Valeanu, both 24, were killed at the music festival after it was attacked at dawn on Saturday. Glazer was from south Brazil but moved to Israel where he served in the IDF and dreamed of becoming a DJ. Valeanu was from Rio de Janeiro but reportedly moved to Israel last year to study at university. Kim Damti A 22-year-old Irish-Israeli woman, Kim Damti, was also murdered at the festival. Damti had lived in Gedera, in central Israel, and spent summer holidays in Ireland, where her mother is from. “With great sorrow and gloomy grief, I announce the killing of our angel, our flower, Kim, my blood, who was murdered by the cursed terrorists,” her sister, Laura, said. Angelyn A nurse from the Philippines was caring for her elderly patient, Nira, on the Kfar Aza kibbutz, according to the deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum. Despite having a chance to flee the Hamas attacks, Angeline stayed by Nira’s side. Both were killed, Hassan-Nahoum said. Although the Thai government has not confirmed the names of the Thais killed, several family members have spoken to the media about the loss of their loved ones. Somkuan Pansa-ard A 39-year-old Thai man went to work on a banana farm in Israel last November, hoping to earn a higher salary so that he could take care of his family. His parents told Reuters that co-workers informed them on Sunday that he had been shot by Hamas militants. “Losing my son … is the biggest loss in my life,” said his father, Khraboan Pansa-ard. Dua Sae-yang Dua Sae-yang, 35, who was from the Hmong hill tribe in Chiang Rai, had moved to Israel two years ago, and was employed as an agricultural worker. His wife, Arachaporn Sae-ja, told Thai media that she had last spoken to him on Saturday, and that he had told her there was fighting close to where he was staying. On Monday, his colleagues confirmed that he had been killed. Somchai Sae-yang Somchai Sae-yang, 24, Dua’s cousin, also from Chiang Rai, had been working in Israel for more than a year. He spoke to his wife, Aree Sae-Song, on Sunday at around 2pm, telling her about the violence, and that his Nepali friends had been killed. She was contacted by other workers on Tuesday, she told Thai outlet Thairath. They said her husband had been killed by a bomb while hiding in the bedroom. Thawatchai Sae-Tao Thawatchai Sae-Tao, from Nan province in northern Thailand, was killed during an attack on Saturday, his wife, Sunita Kongpirinan, told Thai outlet MGR Online. The family had spoken to him that same day, as it was his child’s second birthday. He had promised to buy new toys when his salary was paid.

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