Current:Home > FinanceNatalie Sanandaji of Long Island describes escaping Israeli dance festival during Hamas attack: "We heard the first gunshots"-InfoLens
Natalie Sanandaji of Long Island describes escaping Israeli dance festival during Hamas attack: "We heard the first gunshots"
View Date:2024-12-23 18:25:42
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Long Island woman is home after surviving the catastrophic Hamas attack on a dance festival in Israel that killed at least 260 people.
Photos from before the horror show 28-year-old Natalie Sanandaji of Great Neck visiting Israel for a wedding, then onto a desert celebration of peace, love and dance music.
At dawn, rockets from Gaza began thundering overhead.
"If this festival happened anywhere else in the world, as soon as they saw those first rockets, they would have ran for their lives. But for these kids, that's a reality," said Sanandaji.
- Related story: Family and friends of Ofek Arbib say he died a hero after Hamas attacked Supernova music festival in Israel
Soon came the order from festival security: "Everybody pick up your things and go to your cars," she said.
First they were sent out one way, then told to turn around. Next, they were told to abandon their cars and run.
"We can't understand. We're thinking the fastest way to get out of here is by car, why would you tell us to go on foot? And then that's when we heard the first gunshots," said Sanandaji.
They were coming from all directions.
"Hearing the gunfire, you can't even tell what direction it's coming from," she said. "Thinking that you're running to safety, and then you see dozens of young kids running in your direction and realize that they're running from terrorists."
There was no right way to go. They were surrounded.
"They were kids running in every direction, trying to hide behind trees and ditches. But most of them ended up dying," said Sanandaji.
- Related story: New York City woman speaks of daughter's death at music festival in Israel: "The world lost my flower"
After running for four hours, an Israeli local came to her rescue.
"[He] left the safety of his own town and came towards all of this to save innocent lives. He picked us up in his pickup truck, he drove us to his town to safety, and as soon as he dropped us off he went straight back to pick up more kids," said Sanandaji.
Along with the heroism, there was new evidence of horror. The Israel Defense Forces released video of Hamas shooting into the festival bathrooms Sanandaji was in moments earlier.
"They're just shooting. They're just trying to kill as many people as possible," said said. "Just no humanity at all."
Back home on Long Island, Sanandaji said she doesn't understand any attempt to rationalize slaughter.
"It was unarmed kids. It was kids trying to come together to dance, to be happy, to enjoy life. And it ended in their death. It's just hard to believe that anyone can do this, that any other human can do this to another human," she said.
- In:
- Great Neck
- Nassau County
- Hamas
- Israel
Carolyn Gusoff has covered some of the most high profile news stories in the New York City area and is best known as a trusted, tenacious, consistent and caring voice of Long Island's concerns.
Twitter FacebookveryGood! (362)
Related
- Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires, 1 dead; Veterans Day ceremony postponed
- Opinion: Tyreek Hill is an imperfect vessel who is perfect for this moment
- T.I., Tiny win $71M in lawsuit with toy company over OMG Girlz dolls likeness: Reports
- Wisconsin capital city sends up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots, leading to GOP concerns
- Daniele Rustioni to become Metropolitan Opera’s principal guest conductor
- Diddy arrest punctuates long history of legal troubles: Unraveling old lawsuits, allegations
- Travis Barker Reacts to Leaked Photo of His and Kourtney Kardashian's Baby Rocky
- Capitol rioter mistakenly released from prison after appeals court ruling, prosecutors say
- Garth Brooks wants to move his sexual assault case to federal court. How that could help the singer.
- Can dogs eat apples? Why taking your pup to the orchard this fall may be risky.
Ranking
- Jessica Simpson’s Sister Ashlee Simpson Addresses Eric Johnson Breakup Speculation
- Best Free People Deals Under $50 -- Boho Chic Styles Starting at $14, Save Up to 69%
- A bitter fight between two tribes over sacred land where one built a casino
- Haitian group in Springfield, Ohio, files citizen criminal charges against Trump and Vance
- 10 Trendy Bags To Bring to All of Your Holiday Plans
- Bunny buyer's remorse leads Petco to stop selling rabbits, focus on adoption only
- Chick-fil-A makes pimento cheese available as standalone side for a limited time
- Longshoremen from Maine to Texas appear likely to go on strike, seaport CEO says
Recommendation
-
Incredible animal moments: Watch farmer miraculously revive ailing chick, doctor saves shelter dogs
-
Inmate who was beaten in back of patrol car in Arkansas has filed federal lawsuit
-
When does 'Grotesquerie' premiere? Date, time, where to watch new show featuring Travis Kelce
-
Pennsylvania county must tell voters if it counted their mail-in ballot, court rules
-
RHOP's Candiace Dillard Bassett Gives Birth, Shares First Photos of Baby Boy
-
Best Free People Deals Under $50 -- Boho Chic Styles Starting at $14, Save Up to 69%
-
Department of Justice sues Visa, saying the card issuer monopolizes debit card markets
-
Aramark workers at 3 Philadelphia sports stadiums are now on strike. Here's why.