Ireland’s envoy to Israel tells funeral of woman killed by Hamas militants at weekend music festival that she is filled with sadness ‘at the loss of our beautiful young woman’
Funeral of woman killed by Hamas militants at weekend music festival heard envoy filled with sadness ‘at the loss of our beautiful young woman’Jennifer and Daniel , mother and brother of 22-year-old Israeli-Irish woman Kim Damti, mourn during her funeral at a cemetery in Gedera, Israel, 12 October 2023.
Damti was one of the 260 people killed by Hamas militants when they infiltrated a music festival near the border with Gaza in the early morning of 07 October. More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed and over 3,000 others injured, according to the Israel Defense Forces , since the Islamist movement Hamas launched attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October. More than 4,000 people, including 1,500 militants from Hamas, have been killed and thousands injured in both Gaza and Israel since the conflict erupted, according to Israeli military sources and Palestinian officials.More than 1,000 people came to the cemetery in the central Israeli town of Gedera on Thursday to pay their last respects to Kim Damti , the Israeli-Irish girl killed in the Hamas terror attack on Saturday morning. There were young and old, secular and religious, civilians and soldiers - a cross section of a nation in mourning. The eulogies all painted the same picture of a happy-go-lucky, beautiful young girl who was constantly smiling. They were interrupted by the continuous sobbing from Kim’s siblings, the local rabbi, Gedera’s mayor and Likud Knesset member Gila Gamliel and a friend of the family.Sinn Féin stirring separatist pot in other EU states is unwise ‘I’m frightened of spending retirement with my husband, I’m not sure he is someone I would choose again’ In the middle of the service, above the eulogies, thuds in the sky could be heard of Arrow anti-rocket missiles, intercepting another barrage of incoming rockets from Gaza. Ireland’s ambassador to Israel Sonya McGuinness, in an emotional eulogy, brought a simple and clear message: “We stand with you.” “I am filled with sadness at the loss of our beautiful young woman,” she said. “My heart breaks for her family and friends, for the Irish community in Israel and for every family suffering at this terrible time. We are seared by the horrific events of the last few days.” Kim Damti, whose mother Jennifer is originally from Portlaoise, was attending an all-night outdoor festival with hundreds of other young music lovers, close to the Gaza border when the first rocket barrage hit close to 6:30 am on Saturday, taking everyone by surprise. In the last phone call made by Kim, to her brother at 7am, she was running with a friend towards a car in an attempt to flee the rocket barrage. That was the last contact with her. Unbeknown to the festival-goers, dozens of heavily-armed Hamas gunmen who had infiltrated through breaches in the border fence on motorbikes, jeeps and pick-up trucks, were waiting for them. In total, 260 people were shot and killed: some in their cars while others were mown down trying to flee on foot. Some survived by running to a nearby forest. An unknown number were seized by the militants and spirited away to the Gaza Strip. By Wednesday the authorities had still not removed the charred and bullet-ridden remains of the scores of vehicles from the festival site: it’s too dangerous with the ongoing rocket fire from Gaza. The ground is scorched and the smell of charcoal and dead bodies is overwhelming. Since Saturday the Damti family had been waiting for a phone call from the Israeli authorities. It finally came on Wednesday, confirming a positive identification of their daughter’s body. Some of the soldiers at the funeral were given a few hours furlough from the front to attend before returning to their units. They were also holding back the tears. At the end of the funeral the crowd of mourners stood around the freshly-dug grave and sang Hatikva , Israel’s national anthem. As they departed the cemetery, workers prepared for the next burial of another of the 1,300 people killed on Saturday.Israel says no exceptions to Gaza siege unless hostages freedTina Satchwell case: Man rearrested as remains found at Cork house after Garda search ‘I’m frightened of spending retirement with my husband, I’m not sure he is someone I would choose again’Gardaí seized nine mobile phones in search of the home of Irish broadcaster accused of defilement of child, court hears
Please follow us on Google to support usIreland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Death of Irish-Israeli woman Kim Damti (22) in Hamas attack near Gaza confirmed by familyIrish citizen often spent summers in ireland and was remembered by family friends at a vigil
Read more »
Missing Irish-Israeli woman Kim Damti has died, officials confirmThe 22-year-old was unaccounted for following an attack on a music festival by Hamas militants on Saturday
Read more »
Irish-Israeli woman Kim Damti missing since Hamas attack confirmed deadTaoiseach Leo Varadkar said Ireland was “united in mourning” for the “vibrant” young woman
Read more »
Missing Irish-Israeli Woman Kim Damti Has DiedThe missing Irish-Israeli woman Kim Damti has died, the Government has confirmed.The 22-year-old was unaccounted for following an attack on a music festival ...
Read more »
Tributes paid to Irish-Israeli woman Kim DamtiPresident Michael D Higgins has led tributes to Irish-Israeli woman Kim Damti who died after a Hamas attack at a music festival in Israel last weekend.
Read more »
Tributes pour in after death of Irish-Israeli woman Kim Damti, 22Tributes are being paid to Kim Damti, the 22-year-old Irish-Israeli woman who died following a Hamas attack at a music festival in Israel.
Read more »