On October 7th at 6:29 am, the Kibbutz Reim festival site was the scene of a devastating attack that left 364 people dead and 40 taken hostage. Millet Ben Haim and her friends were among the festival goers who were enjoying the festivities when suddenly, air raid sirens sounded and Hamas fighters stormed the site.
Millet spoke about her life-changing experience in an interview with German newspaper Bild. She recounted how the party was just a normal weekend until the music stopped abruptly due to the sound of rockets filling the sky. Along with her friends, she tried to escape in their car, but their attempt was thwarted when they saw terrorists shooting at people in front of them. They eventually ended up walking through fields, desperate to find safety.
After hours of wandering and searching for shelter, Millet and three other women hid in bushes to avoid being found by terrorists. Their prayers were answered when Remy Davidian, a civilian who saved over a hundred lives that day, found and rescued them. Now with her family, Millet is grateful to be safe but struggles to cope with trauma and loss resulting from the attack. She feels like a different person and is unable to connect with friends or family due to overwhelming emotions caused by the magnitude of the day’s events.