BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Search continues for hostages from Israel music festival

  • Hamas militants ambushed a music festival on Saturday
  • More than 250 festivalgoers have been reportedly killed
  • Traveler: "We have a big party next to Gaza, then they go and murder kids"

FILE – Rockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against Israel. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair, File)

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

ovp test

mLife Diagnostics LLC: Oral Fluid Drug Testing

Male shot by female at Shreveport apartment

Class to create biodiverse backyard

Rules for outbursts at Caddo School Board Meeting

(NewsNation) — Videos across social media showing people running for their lives from an Israeli music festival are still circulating on social media, but few answers have emerged in the days since. It’s left families and loved ones anxious as the war intensifies.

In addition to the untold number of hostages, at least 250 people died at the festival.

The attack happened near the Gaza-Israel border, and the music festival was right in the middle of it all.

Guy Bouskila, who left Israel with his family, said festival-goers were ambushed.

“Hundreds, if not thousands, of young people dancing and having fun and they were ambushed. They were literally ambushed,” Bouskila said.

On foot, partygoers recorded rockets from a distance. Festival organizers said hundreds were able to escape. But many were dragged away by Hamas militants.

“We have a big party next to Gaza, and then they go to the party and murder kids. They took them,” Esther Estiakiva, who also left Israel with her family, said.

The festival organizers addressed the attack on social media, sending condolences and pledging to do whatever they could to help. Organizers created a Google doc for families to fill out if they are looking for loved ones.

However, many festival goers are still missing days later.

The Israeli government formally declared war Sunday to retaliate against Hamas for its surprise attack. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza.

There have been numerous reports of Hamas taking people hostage and holding them captive, including Americans. In fact, there are reports of people at the festival texting loved ones back here in the United States as the attacks started happening on Saturday morning.

In one case, the Jerusalem Post reported that a 23-year-old American texted his parents during the attack, writing, “I love you and I’m sorry.”

Israel at War

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Clear

la

58°F Clear Feels like 58°
Wind
3 mph N
Humidity
41%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 51F. Winds light and variable.
51°F Clear skies. Low 51F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
4 mph N
Precip
0%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waxing Gibbous