(NewsNation) — New details have emerged in the aftermath of the fatal music festival attack in the Israeli desert by Hamas militants. Now, survivors are coming forward to share their eyewitness accounts of the attack.
Note: Some may find the details in this story disturbing.
First responders said they have pulled at least 260 bodies from the festival grounds, and dozens more are believed to be held hostage in Gaza.
Survivors claimed heavily armed Hamas terrorists brutalized and kidnapped anyone in their path, shooting indiscriminately at those trying to escape.
“It’s a real living hell. I’ve never seen something like this. I’ve been in wars, in two wars in my life, and never seen anything like this,” said Sahar Ben Sela, a 30-year-old Israeli from Herzliya and music festival survivor.
Video footage has also offered new clues into how the Hamas ambush on the music festival unfolded, revealing rows of abandoned cars burnt out and riddled with bullet holes. First responders checked each and every car for survivors. Instead, they found dashcam footage of the attacks.
A terrorist with an assault rifle was seen barking commands at hostages, and then hauling off a bloodied victim. As the two disappear from the dashcam’s view, an injured man who had been playing dead behind a car tries to get up but is spotted and shot down by a second terrorist.
Hours later, additional militants can be seen rifling through the victim’s pockets and vehicles nearby.
“Bodies all over the place, a full slaughter,” Ben Sela said. “They didn’t care if you were a man or a woman, if you were young or old.”
More dashcam video posted to social media shows a driver’s high-speed rush to escape Hamas militants. As the driver tries to speed past them, militants open fire from almost point-blank range, shattering the vehicle’s windshield and hitting the driver. The driver did not survive.
Those who managed to escape with their lives painted an apocalyptic story of survival.
“I think that was the moment when I understood that maybe, maybe it’s the end. And maybe, maybe we’re going to die here because it felt like that in my next step, they’re going to shoot me,” Noa Kalash, another music festival survivor, said.
Halash hid in a bush for eight hours as gunshots and explosions rang out around her.
“The people who didn’t run like me were murdered on the spot,” she said.