A survivor of Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre at the Nova music festival will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in May.
Yuval Raphael qualified for the contest Wednesday after winning Rising Star, a televised Israeli singing competition voted on by the public. The competition’s victor is chosen as Israel’s representative at Eurovision.
The 24-year-old singer was partying with friends at the Nova festival on Oct. 7, 2023 when it came under attack by Hamas militants. More than 360 people were killed at the desert rave, making it the deadliest terror attack in Israeli history.
Raphael survived by hiding under dead bodies inside a nearby bomb shelter, according to the Times of Israel.
“Music is one of the strongest ingredients in my healing process,” she said during the Rising Star final.
In a separate interview, she said she would use her appearance in Eurovision to “tell them the story of the country, of what I went through, of what others went through.”
“But not from a place of seeking sympathy,” she added. “I want it to be from a place of standing strong in the face of this, and in the face of the boos I’m 100 percent sure will come from the crowd.”
Last year’s Eurovision was marked by controversy and protests over its decision to allow Israel to compete amid the increasingly dire humanitarian situation and death toll caused by its military assault in Gaza where it aimed to root out Hamas militants.
The Israeli contestant in 2024, Eden Golan, was ordered by the organizers to change the name of her song, “October Rain,” which referenced the Oct. 7 attack, in line with the contest’s rules banning political statements.
Switzerland won the competition last year and, as is custom, will host this year’s edition, with 37 countries competing in Basel.
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