On October 7 at 6:29 am, Kibbutz Re’im was filled with joy and celebration as the Nova Festival began. Millet Ben Haim and her friends were among the many visitors who had come to enjoy the festivities. They were smiling and taking photos, soaking up the atmosphere of happiness and unity that surrounded them.

However, their joy was short-lived when air raid sirens pierced the air, signaling an imminent attack. In less than two minutes, Hamas fighters stormed the festival site, causing chaos and destruction. The result of the attack was devastating, with 364 festival visitors dead and 40 taken hostage.

Millet was lucky to have survived but spoke about the life-changing experience in an interview with German newspaper Bild. She described how the party had been a normal weekend until the music abruptly stopped due to rockets filling the sky. Her friends and she tried to flee in their car but were met with violence when terrorists started shooting at them from all sides.

Desperate to escape, they attempted to go in another direction but faced similar danger. They finally decided to take off on foot through fields, hoping to find safety somewhere far away from the terrorists. After hours of wandering aimlessly, they eventually found refuge in a bush with three other women and managed to hide there for several hours until help arrived.

Their prayers were answered when Ramy Davidian, a civilian who had saved over a hundred lives that day, found them and rescued them from their hiding place. Now with her family, Millet is grateful for her safety but is struggling to cope with trauma and loss resulting from the attack. She feels like a different person since that day, unable to connect with friends or family members or even feel safe again.

In conclusion, this horrific event has left many families devastated and struggling to cope with their loss of loved ones or even feeling like strangers in their own homes after surviving such an attack.

It is essential for everyone involved in this incident or any other terrorist attack not only seek medical attention but also emotional support from mental health professionals who can help them process such traumatic experiences effectively.

The international community must continue its efforts towards peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians while condemning any acts of violence against innocent civilians.

It is time for both sides to put aside their differences and work towards creating a peaceful future where everyone can live without fear of violence or discrimination based on ethnicity or religion.