Noa Shusterman, 25, could never have anticipated that attending the Nova music festival with her 16 closest friends would turn into the most harrowing day of her life.
As the early Saturday sun rose, bomb sirens cut through the air. Noa and her friends began their journey back home, still composed from being accustomed to missile attacks.
However, they were entirely unprepared for what followed. Suddenly, they were surrounded by a ceaseless barrage of gunshots, realizing their only chance of survival was to run. For half an hour, they sprinted through the thorny open field, uncertain of their location or destination.
When exhaustion finally overcame them, they sought refuge beneath a tree. The ensuing four hours passed in absolute silence, the group too terrified to move or make a sound, despite the grueling physical conditions.
Eventually, they mustered the courage to call for help, enduring an additional two-hour wait until Rami, a courageous civilian, arrived to facilitate their evacuation. In total, they remained concealed for six hours, amidst the chaos of gunfire and terrorists.
Later, they learned they had been perilously close to the notorious "road of death," where many fellow festival-goers had met a tragic end. Their journey led them to kibbutz Pattish, and they finally arrived in their hometown, Beer Sheva. Noa reflects on those terrifying moments, stating, "What keeps me strong is knowing all 16 of us made it out alive, others weren't as fortunate."
Noa's mother, Inna Shusterman, has dedicated 31 years to serving as the head nurse at the outpatient eye clinic in Soroka hospital. She was devastated to hear of the terrorist attack but remained resolute for the sake of her daughter. Today, Noa and her friends find solace at home, secure and more tightly knit than ever.
