A Nova festival survivor has tragically been found dead on her 22nd birthday after taking her own life.
Shirel Golan had been battling a post-traumatic stress disorder following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, before she took her own life, her brother Eyal Golan said.
She was found dead in her apartment in Porat, near Netanya in northwestern Israel, on her 22nd birthday on October 20.
Her brother has now blamed the state of Israel for her death, saying that she didn’t get any help, despite being hospitalised for her PTSD symptoms twice.
‘If the state had taken care of her, none of this would have happened. The State of Israel killed my sister twice. Once in October, mentally, and a second time today, on her 22nd birthday, physically,’ he told local media.
Shirel Golan (pictured) had been battling a post-traumatic stress disorder following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, before she took her own life, her brother Eyal Golan said
Shirel was found dead in her apartment in Porat, near Netanya in northwestern Israel, on her 22nd birthday on October 20
This aerial picture shows abandoned and torched vehicles at the site of the October 7 attack on the Supernova desert music Festival by Palestinian militants near Kibbutz Reim in the Negev desert in southern Israel on October 13, 2023
Festivalgoer Vlada Patapov (left) is seen fleeing the site of the Nova festival massacre on October 7, where Hamas gunmen opened fire on revellers, killing hundreds
Shirel was at Nova festival in southern Israel with her partner Adi when Hamas terrorists descended on the area near Kibbutz Re’im and killed 364 revellers more than a year ago.
The couple hid under a bush for hours and narrowly escaped death when they declined to join 11 others in a car as those people were either killed or taken hostage by Hamas shortly after.
They were rescued by heroic police officer Remo Salman El-Hozayel, who brought them to safety. El-Hozayel had commandeered a car and reportedly saved 200 festivalgoers.
In the weeks following the massacre, Shirel showed symptoms of PTSD like disassociation and withdrawal, her family said.
Her brother Eyal said that when he told Shirel to look for help, she told him that she hadn’t received any help from the state.
The only help she had received was from grassroots association Tribe of Nova Community, which was founded by fellow Nova festival survivors and relatives of the victims.
Eyal said his family tried to take care of Shirel.
‘My mother was forced to take early retirement to be next to her daughter. We didn’t move a millimeter from her, and the only time we left her alone was today, and she decided to take her own life,’ he told Israeli broadcaster Channel 12.
Shirel was at Nova festival in southern Israel with her partner Adi when Hamas terrorists descended on the area near Kibbutz Re’im and killed 364 revellers more than a year ago
Destroyed cars and personal effects are still left scattered around the Supernova Music Festival site, where hundreds were killed and dozens taken by Hamas militants near the border with Gaza, on October 13, 2023 in Kibbutz Re’im, Israel
Eyal said his family tried to take care of Shirel. ‘My mother was forced to take early retirement to be next to her daughter. We didn’t move a millimeter from her, and the only time we left her alone was today, and she decided to take her own life,’ he told Israeli broadcaster Channel 12
Shirel’s devastated brother said that her taking her own life should be a wake up call for the state
Shirel’s devastated brother said that her taking her own life should be a wake up call for the state.
Israel’s Welfare and Social Services Ministry has reportedly denied the claims that Shirel wasn’t taken care of by the state.
It said in a statement that she was ‘recognized and treated in the welfare system even before October 7 and especially after’.
The ministry also called on survivors to contact their 24-hour hotline if they needed emotional support.
– For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See samaritans.org for details.
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