October 7: 500 Days Later

Five hundred days ago, hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated villages, homes, safe rooms, military bases, and a music festival in southern Israel, hoping to kill as many civilians as possible. Terrorists slaughtered more than 1,200 people and took 254 hostage.

Romi Gonen was taken by Hamas from the Nova music festival. When paragliders first attacked Nova, firing shots into the crowd, festival-goers ran to their cars. Terrorists shot mercilessly at those who tried to flee; the road leading out of Re’im, where the festival was held, became known as the “murder road.” There’s a parking lot near Re’im in Tkuma full of hundreds of cars recovered from that day. Some are burned, many are filled with bullet holes, and nearly all are vehicles in which young adults trying to escape were brutally murdered or taken hostage. Footage from Hamas bodycams on October 7 show terrorists shooting people in their cars, as they ran from their cars, as they hid behind their cars, and as they dragged their already-wounded selves on the ground away from their cars.

About the Author

Haley Strack

Haley Strack is a former staff writer at National Review.

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Five hundred days ago, hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated villages, homes, safe rooms, military bases, and a music festival in southern Israel, hoping to kill as many civilians as possible. Terrorists slaughtered more than 1,200 people and took 254 hostage.

Romi Gonen was taken by Hamas from the Nova music festival. When paragliders first attacked Nova, firing shots into the crowd, festival-goers ran to their cars. Terrorists shot mercilessly at those who tried to flee; the road leading out of Re’im, where the festival was held, became known as the “murder road.” There’s a parking lot near Re’im in Tkuma full of hundreds of cars recovered from that day. Some are burned, many are filled with bullet holes, and nearly all are vehicles in which young adults trying to escape were brutally murdered or taken hostage. Footage from Hamas bodycams on October 7 show terrorists shooting people in their cars, as they ran from their cars, as they hid behind their cars, and as they dragged their already-wounded selves on the ground away from their cars.