[This is the ninth post in my series on my mission to Israel. You can read Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII.]
After our mission left the Nir Oz Kibbutz, we traveled to the site of the Nova Music Festival. Think of burning man (not that I've ever been): a music festival in the middle of the desert. On October 7, this festival was being held close to the Gaza Border. According to some reports Hamas was not even aware this gathering would occur. Rather, the terrorists happened upon the festival. They murdered more than 360 civilians in cold blood, and took about 40 as hostages.
These were the last people in the world who would ever want war, or even think about politics. For lack of better word, they were hippies–committed to peace, love, and happiness. As it was described to me, the music festival raged throughout the night, and around sunrise reached the crescendo. That is when the missile attacks began. And shortly thereafter, terrorists approached the complex and began to murder. People tried to drive or run away, but they were shot and captured on the one road to the festival.
