A survivor of the Nova music festival attack has described how a scar from a previous injury saved her from rape and death at the hands of Hamas militants on 7 October. The 24-year-old, Lior Gelbaum, was among more than 360 partygoers killed when gunmen stormed the site near the Israel-Gaza border. She told the BBC that she fled with others as rockets and gunfire erupted around 06:30.
Gelbaum explained that she and a friend ran towards an open field as automatic gunshots rang out. Two strangers, Yehuda and Galit, drove them to safety in a large car. She credits a scar on her body from a past operation with making her appear less attractive to attackers, potentially saving her from sexual assault. 'I think that scar saved my life,' she said.
The attack left many survivors traumatised and isolated, according to Dr Lia Naor, who set up a support centre in Rishpon. 'They were so fragmented and frozen,' she said. 'There was a brokenness of faith – nobody was there for them.' The centre offers therapy, workshops, and a safe space for survivors to heal together.
Gelbaum now attends the centre regularly, giving out handmade silver necklaces to other survivors. She said music, once a central part of her identity, has been difficult to enjoy since the attack. 'It's been hard for me to listen to music,' she admitted, but she finds comfort in concerts held at the centre.
The outdoor setting, with citrus trees and herb gardens, provides a peaceful environment for recovery. Volunteers run the centre, offering activities from mosaic making to sound baths. 'As dark the darkness is that you saw, we're going to bring the light,' Naor told survivors in the early days.
