'Israel killed my sister twice': Woman, who survived October 7 massacre, dies by suicide

Shirel Golan , a 22-year-old survivor of the Hamas massacre at the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im on October 7, 2023, took her own life on her birthday after battling post-traumatic stress disorder for a year, according to her family.

Instead of celebrating with her loved ones, she was found dead at her home in Porat, near Netanya, with numerous unanswered birthday messages on her phone, according to The Times of Israel.

Eyal, Golan's brother, angrily accused the state of failing to provide her with the necessary support for her emotional and mental struggles following the massacre. "If the state had taken care of her, none of this would have happened," he was quoted in Hebrew media.

"The State of Israel killed my sister twice. Once in October, mentally, and a second time today, on her 22nd birthday, physically," he added.

Golan and her partner Adi escaped the Nova festival as Hamas-led terrorists began killing attendees. They initially tried to flee by car but had to abandon the vehicle and hide under a bush for hours until they were rescued by police officer Remo Salman El-Hozayel, who saved around 200 people. While hiding, they narrowly avoided getting into another car whose occupants were all killed or kidnapped by the terrorists.

The massacre claimed the lives of 364 people, with many subjected to horrific acts such as gang rape and mutilation. Dozens more were abducted and taken to Gaza.

In the aftermath, Golan developed PTSD symptoms, including disassociation and withdrawal, and was hospitalised twice but never officially recognised as a PTSD sufferer.

Eyal mentioned that when he noticed Golan's withdrawal and urged her to seek help, she revealed that she had not received any assistance from the state, and the only support came from the Tribe of Nova Community association, established by fellow survivors and victims' relatives. The family tried their best to care for her, with Golan's mother taking early retirement to be by her side.

“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,” Eyal told Channel 12 news.

Eyal demanded that the state "wake up" to prevent more suicide attempts, saying, "I lost my sister, but I want to raise a hue and cry so others won't lose their loved ones."