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Nearly a year and a half after the harrowing events of October 7, three remarkable young Israeli women—Shani, Neomi, and Nastia—continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience.
They survived the Hamas-led attack at the Supernova music festival, a massacre that claimed the lives of over 360 festivalgoers.
Now, as reservists in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Battalion 926 of the Southern District of the Home Front Command, they have chosen to channel their trauma into service, assisting civilians and patrolling areas in Judea and Samaria.
The following is an account of their experiences on that fateful day and their courageous decision to join the IDF reserves despite the horrors they endured.
A Night of Celebration Turns to Horror
Shani, a 26-year-old acro-yoga instructor and chemistry master’s student at Ben-Gurion University, was elated when she was invited to lead a workshop at the Supernova festival.
What was meant to be a night of dance and celebration under the stars quickly turned into a nightmare. “The sun was just beginning to rise. I took a picture because it was so peaceful,” she recalls.
“Then, suddenly, flashes of light appeared in the sky. At first, I thought they were fireworks, but then the music stopped. That’s when I knew something was wrong.”
The festival, held in the Negev desert near the Gaza border, became one of the primary targets of Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israel. Rockets rained down as panic set in among the thousands of attendees.
Neomi, a 22-year-old from a moshav in the Negev, was still on active duty in the IDF when she attended the festival. “I was excited to be home and to finally go out with my friends,” she says.
“We arrived before sunrise and were dancing when a friend suddenly started having a panic attack. She had served as an IDF observer and kept saying, ‘Something terrible is about to happen.’”
Initially, Neomi and others believed it was just another rocket attack—an unfortunate but familiar reality for residents near Gaza. However, as minutes passed, the situation grew more dire.
“People started screaming, running in different directions. I looked up, and the sky was filled with rocket trails,” Neomi recounts. “Security guards rushed to open the emergency exits, and we made our way to our car while explosions surrounded us.”
A Desperate Struggle for Survival
Shani and her friends sought refuge in a car but quickly realized that fleeing by road was impossible. “The traffic was at a standstill. I saw police officers standing with their weapons drawn, and then I heard someone scream, ‘They shot her!’ That’s when I knew we were under attack.”
As the terror intensified, she made a split-second decision. “We ran toward the sun, away from Gaza. Bullets were flying, people were falling all around us. It was like a nightmare that wouldn’t end.”
Realizing that there was no safe place to run, Shani and her friends hid in thick bushes for nearly six hours. “The terrorists walked past us multiple times, shooting at everything they saw,” she says. “We were incredibly lucky they didn’t see us.”
Meanwhile, Neomi and her friends attempted to escape by car, but chaos ensued. “We saw people running out of their cars, so we abandoned ours, too. The gunfire was getting closer. At that moment, survival instincts kicked in,” she says.
One of her friends received a warning message: Hamas terrorists were disguising themselves as IDF soldiers and luring people out of hiding. “Fifteen minutes later, a white van with a ‘soldier’ covered in blood arrived, shouting names. We thought it was a trap,” Neomi explains.
But when the names matched those of people hiding nearby, they took a chance. “We climbed into the van and sped away. The driver, Leon Bar, told us, ‘I’m from Gedera. My wife begged me not to come, but I had to.’ He saved dozens of us that day.”
Tragically, Leon Bar did not survive the next day’s fighting. “He went back to rescue more people and was killed by Hamas,” Shani says. “We owe him our lives.”
A Life-Altering Decision
The trauma of October 7 could have driven these young women into despair. Instead, it led them to a new mission—defending Israel.
“After the attack, I felt powerless. I wanted to take back control,” Neomi says. She enlisted as a reservist in Battalion 926, a unit responsible for civilian protection and emergency response.
For Shani, the decision was deeply personal. “I saw firsthand how vulnerable we were. I didn’t want to feel helpless again.”
Their unit is now tasked with patrolling high-risk areas, including parts of Judea and Samaria. Despite the dangers, they are unwavering in their commitment. “We’ve been through the worst. Nothing scares us anymore,” Shani says.
From Victims to Protectors
Their journey from victims of terror to defenders of their homeland is emblematic of Israel’s resilience. “People think women in the military are just in support roles, but we’re on the front lines,” Neomi emphasizes. “We’re proving that we can fight just as fiercely as anyone else.”
Nastia, another survivor-turned-soldier, echoes this sentiment. “We refuse to let Hamas dictate our lives. We are stronger than the terror they tried to instill in us.”
For many, their story is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of Israel’s youth. “We survived the worst day of our lives, but we didn’t let it break us,” Shani says. “Instead, it made us warriors.”
A Legacy of Courage
Their story resonates across Israel, where survivors of October 7 are finding ways to turn their trauma into strength. While the scars of that day will never fully heal, these young women are proving that courage can rise from even the darkest of moments.
As Shani puts it, “Terrorists wanted to destroy us, but we’re still here—stronger, fiercer, and more determined than ever.”
Their transformation from survivors to soldiers is not just a personal victory; it’s a powerful message to the world. Israel’s spirit remains unbroken, and its people will always stand ready to defend their homeland.