There are many theories about what happened to the grandchildren Noa, 27, and Gidi, 24, at the Supernova music festival in southern Israel on October 7, says Eva.
After the bloody massacre of hundreds of visitors to the Supernova festival by Hamas fighters, unbearable days followed for the family, who had not been heard from since. Eleven days later the news came. Noa was found first, Gidi the morning after.
– I was out in the garden… and I just heard screams that I’ve never heard before. It was my daughter-in-law who completely collapsed. And then we all became the same. It was terrible, these screams that came from the mother were heartbreaking, says Eva Cheil.
– It is impossible to describe when you receive such a message.
Last call
The last call the parents received from their children was at half past seven in the morning when Hamas stormed the festival and began firing rockets and the music was replaced by gunfire.
– What we have learned is that they managed to get the car 16 kilometers from the festival. And there they were hit by an RPG rocket. We have seen pictures of the car and it is completely destroyed. It is my only consolation that they were together and did not suffer in any way because this rocket blew the car to pieces. But what happened to them between these 16 kilometers – no idea, says Eva Cheil.
The car was completely destroyed in the rocket attack. The bodies were identified using DNA.
– My only consolation is that they were together when it happened and that we have brought them home now even though we haven’t brought them home. But that they are not in Gaza. I don’t wish anyone to sit in Gaza with these monsters.
Over 5000 at the funeral
Eva says that it is still difficult to take in what happened. Since the grandchildren were found, the family has entered the traditional mourning period and been able to bury the remains. And the support for the family has been great.
Over 5,000 people came to the funeral, says Eva Cheil.
– All these masses of people. They couldn’t fit inside so they stood outside in the street, the police had to guard them. It was horrible. But it was extremely nice to see that all these people cared, she says.
Bloody Hamas attack
Dramatic images and unique testimonies tell the story of the bloody massacre in which Hamas killed 260 people at a rave festival in Israel.