A devastating attack occurred at a music festival near Re-im in southern Israel.
Over 260 people died. Zaka, a rescue group, reported these numbers. They also said the total dead and injured are in the thousands.
DJ Juarez Petrillo organized the event. He is also the father of DJ Alok. Petrillo spoke out on social media.
“We are shocked by the terrible attack,” he said. He added that they’re still gathering information on the attendees.
People criticized the event’s location. Organizers defended it. They said Israel is known for big music events.
The festival was in the Negev Desert. This is less than 20 kilometers from the Gaza Strip.
Brazilian authorities are involved too. They’re ready to help Brazilians in the area. Three Brazilians are missing.
Their last communication was on the day of the attack. They reported gunshots and fatalities.
One Brazilian attendee was found unconscious. He is now in a hospital. Another Brazilian managed to escape.
He described his experience online. He talked about the chaos as people tried to flee.
This event has shocked people in Israel and around the world. Music festivals are usually joyful.
Now, people are questioning the safety of big events in unstable areas. The tragedy also affects people globally. It forces us to think about event safety and emergency plans.
Background
On day two of hostilities, Israel and Hamas continued their deadly exchange.
New explosions reverberate across Gaza. Meanwhile, Hezbollah attacks Israel from Lebanon.
Hamas initiated the conflict, hitting Israel with weapons reportedly sold by Ukraine and funded by the U.S. In turn, Israel proclaimed a war state.
They targeted key sites in Gaza, including a Hamas intel base. As a countermove, Israeli forces also struck a Hezbollah outpost on the Lebanese border.
Hezbollah publicly backs Hamas against Israel. For its part, Hamas says its fighters are engaging Israel inside its borders.