Israel music festival organisers release first statement after “unspeakable tragedy”

The organisers of a music festival in Israel that was targeted by Hamas terrorists last week, leaving hundreds of attendees dead, have released their first statement after the tragedy.

Producers of Supernova Sukkot Gathering – the Israeli offshoot of the Paralello Universo psytrance festival launched in Brazil two decades ago – have opened up about the “unspeakable tragedy” that unfolded in Re’im early on Saturday, October 7.

Billboard reports that roughly 260 attendees were murdered in the terror attack launched by militants of the de facto government of Palestine in the Gaza Strip. October 7 also marked the start of Hamas’ infiltration of Israel elsewhere, including a massacre at the Israeli Be’eri kibbutz, and then Israel Defense Forces’ deadly retaliatory responses.

Around 3,000 people were at the psytrance festival. In addition to the deaths, Billboard reports that around 150 attendees are believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas.

Supernova Sukkot Gathering producer Tribe of Nova posted a statement (published in both Hebrew and English) to its Facebook page on Saturday (October 14).

Organisers said that they are “working hand in hand with security forces and authorities to help find answers and bring back all that those who can return to their families and friends”.

The statement also notes that members of the Nova Tribe team have been at the site of the attack over the past week “searching for those located in the disaster area, or other locations, recovering equipment from the site and its surroundings and, above all, ensuring the security of Israel”.

It added: “At this moment, our production team is focused on providing the right and extensive emotional and mental support to everyone involved. This is the most important thing in this moment.”

Read the statement in full below:

“Our dear tribe of Nova, first and foremost, we want to convey our sincere and heartfelt condolences to all the families, friends, partners and couples who have lost their loved ones or have been affected by the tragic events that unfolded, following that magic night and that turned into an exceedingly heavy morning.

“What was planned to be the happiest and largest electronic music festival of the Nova Tribe has turned into a scene of unspeakable tragedy, an inhumane war crime, an unprecedented violation of the most basic human values.

“This is the epitome of pure and unbridled evil, the horrifying and senseless murder of countless innocent angels, whose only ‘crime’ was being Jewish and living in Israel.

“It’s no wonder that these agents of darkness targets this joyous gathering of children of light, for their sole and singular purpose is to bring darkness upon the world. But we won’t let them do that!

“We will keep fighting until we reach our objective adorned on our tribe’s flag: to spread light throughout the world, with the help of the holy people of Israel and the Nova Tribe.

“Last Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, we were brutally attacked by hundreds of terrorists, heartless, ruthless and lacking any mercy. They murdered in cold blood hundreds of women and men, our beloved Tribe of Nova members, as well as numerous innocent Israeli civilians.

“It was a heinous, terrifying, brutal massacre of innocent civilians from all over the country and the world, the best and most among us. This was [one of] the largest terrorist attack[s] in Israeli history. Taking the lives of 1,400 pure and innocent souls with over 150 remain [sic] missing, thousands left physically injured to varying degrees, and tens of thousands psychologically, emotionally and mentally broken.” [Editor’s note: CNN has reported that the weekend’s attacks overall killed more than 1,300 people].

“At this moment, our production team is focused on providing the right and extensive emotional and mental support to everyone involved. This is the most important thing in this moment.

“We are working tirelessly, day and night, conducting search and rescue operations, helping identify the victims and updating their families. Searching for those located in the disaster area, or other locations, recovering equipment from the site and its surroundings and, above all, ensuring the security of Israel.

“This is our sole goal, and we will stand behind it and fulfil it to the best of our abilities. We will not stop.

“We are present at the disaster site and its vicinity day in and day out, working hand in hand with security forces and authorities to help find answers and bring back all that those who can return to their families and friends.

“At the moment, this is our top priority. In the meantime, it’s essential for us to convey the following message: Our strength lies in our unity! We are in a war for our home, and it’s essential that we all come together, strengthen each other, and unite under one great, shining light to overcome this dark period as quickly as possible.

“We send infinite love and a massive embrace to all Tribe of Nova members and all around Israeli civilians, the injured, the affected and the families of the deceased and the missing.

“Wishing all of you to stay safe and that you take care of yourselves. We continue to pray that goodness and light will always prevail.

“Wish wishes for a peaceful and safe week and good tidings for all of the people of Israel. Both in the land and across the world.”

Meanwhile, Rax Gaster – an artist manager who had multiple acts scheduled to play at the festival in Re’im – has described the scenes of chaos and terror as an attack took place.

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