‘Israel killed my sister twice’: Woman who survived October 7 massacre dies by suicide

Shirel Golan, a 22-year-old survivor of the Nova music festival massacre, took her own life (Image credit: Aviva Klompas’ X account)

Shirel Golana 22-year-old survivor Hamas massacre According to her family, she took her own life on her birthday after struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder for a year.
Instead of celebrating with her loved ones, she was found dead in her home in Porat, near Netanya, with numerous unanswered birthday messages on her phone, according to The Times of Israel.
Eyal, Golan’s brother, angrily accused the state of failing to provide her with the support she needed for her emotional and mental problems following the massacre. “If the state had taken care of them, none of this would have happened,” he was quoted as saying in Hebrew media.
“The State of Israel killed my sister twice. Once in October, mentally, and a second time today, on her 22nd birthday, physically,” he added.
Golan and her partner Adi escaped the Nova festival when Hamas-led terrorists began killing attendees. They initially tried to escape by car, but had to abandon the vehicle and hide under a bush for hours until they were rescued by police officer Remo Salman El-Hozayel, who saved around 200 people. While hiding, they narrowly avoided getting into another car, all of whose occupants were killed or kidnapped by the terrorists.
364 people died in the massacre, many becoming victims of horrific acts such as gang rape and mutilation. Dozens more were kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
As a result, Golan developed PTSD She suffered symptoms of separation and withdrawal and was hospitalized twice, but was never officially recognized as suffering from PTSD.
Eyal mentioned that when he noticed Golan’s withdrawal and urged her to seek help, she revealed that she had not received any support from the state and the only support came from the Tribe of Nova Community Association, founded by fellow survivors and relatives of the victims became. The family tried their best to provide for her, and Golan’s mother took early retirement to be by her side.
“My mother had to take early retirement to be able to support her daughter. We didn’t move an inch away from her and the only time we left her alone was today when she decided to take her own life,” Eyal told Channel 12 News.
Eyal called on the state to “wake up” to prevent further suicide attempts, saying: “I lost my sister, but I want to raise a big cry so that others don’t lose their loved ones.”