A young British citizen caught up in the attack on a music festival in Israel sent a WhatsApp message to his mother in the UK as Hamas terrorists began firing rockets into Israeli territory. Jake Marlowe, a 26-year-old working on security at the festival, sent a text to his mom saying missiles had begun firing; moments later, he wrote again, “Signal very bad, everything is okay, I will keep you updated, I promise you. Love you.” He has not been seen or heard from since then.
His mother told British media that she has stopped calling him because “I can’t bear to listen to the phone just ringing and not being answered.”
The attack on the music festival was part of Hamas’ broader assault on the Jewish state that saw 1,000s of rockets rain down on southern cities, and gunmen raid Israeli communities in cars and on foot, murdering people as they went. More than 1,300 civilians were slaughtered, including over 250 at the music festival.
The Super Nova Music event took place just miles from the Gaza border. Party-goers were into the early hours when the revelry was interrupted by Hamas terrorists who entered the event by paragliding over the perimeter wall. When they landed, witnesses say they shot and killed hundreds and kidnapped others. “It changed in a moment,” said one attendee describing how a fun-filled event turned into the bloodiest terrorist attack since 9/11.
One of the most harrowing images to emerge from the festival attack was of a young woman screaming for help while terrorists seized her. The woman was identified as Noa Argamani, a university student from Israel, whose kidnap by terrorists on a motorcycle was captured on film and viewed worldwide. Her father Yaakov told reporters he wants his daughter back, but only “by peaceful measures.”
Hamas is believed to be holding more than 100 Israelis in the Gaza Strip which it hopes will give it leverage in negotiations with Israel.
