Several hundred people attending an outdoor music festival named Supernova in an Israeli community near Gaza tragically lost their lives as a result of actions taken by Hamas operatives. The festival, originally intended to be a joyful and music-filled event, transformed into a harrowing incident that will be remembered as one of the most significant acts of terror perpetrated by members of Hamas.
Given that the conflict between Israel and Palestine, triggered by this event, has resulted in the loss of about 1,500 lives among both civilians and military personnel on both sides, it becomes crucial to revisit the Supernova festival.
What is the Supernova music festival?
The Supernova music festival, also recognised as the Universo Paralello Festival, took place in Re'im, Israel, which is a rural region situated in close proximity to the Gaza Strip border. This event coincided with the weeklong Jewish holiday of Sukkot, observed from Friday, September 29, 2023, to Friday, October 6, 2023. Sukkot is a holiday that marks the harvest gathering and serves as a commemoration of the divine protection granted by God to the children of Israel during their exodus from Egypt.
According to The Guardian, the Supernova music festival, billed as "a journey of unity and love" with "mind-blowing and breathtaking content", began at around 10 pm on Friday, just hours after the end of Israel's week-long Sukkot religious festival.
How did it turn to gunfire and kidnapping?
Thousands of young people attended the Nature Party, which became one of the first targets of Palestinian gunmen who breached Gaza's border fence early on Saturday under cover of massive rocket barrages from Gaza.
Hamas operatives initiated gunfire towards approximately 3,500 young Israelis who had gathered for a festive night of electronic music in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Some attendees were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which heightened their confusion and fear.
While rockets were raining down, festival attendees reported that militants descended upon the festival location, with others strategically positioned near bomb shelters, targeting those seeking safety. Many of these militants, arriving in vehicles and on motorcycles, were equipped with body armor and were armed with AK-47 assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
Hamas used motor-powered hang gliders to infiltrate Israel:
According to The Telegraph, Hamas claimed to have entered Israel on Saturday morning using motorised vehicles attached to parachutes in an apparent attempt to avoid air defenses. Some fighters had motors strapped directly to their backs, while others rode on small, three-wheeled vehicles dangling from parafoil kites.
The first move was a barrage of 3,000 rockets fired from Gaza that coincided with incursions by fighters who flew hang gliders, or motorised paragliders, over the border, the outlet said. Israel has previously said 2,500 rockets were fired at first.
Once the fighters on hang gliders were on the ground, they secured the terrain so an elite commando unit could storm the fortified electronic and cement wall built by Israel to prevent infiltration.
The fighters used explosives to breach the barriers and then sped across on motorbikes. Bulldozers widened the gaps, and more fighters entered in four-wheel drives, as witnesses described.
