Israeli Woman, Who Survived Hamas Attacks At Nova Festival, Dies By Suicide On Her Birthday

The family said Golan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the horrific events at the festival on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israeli citizens, killing around 1,200 people.

Shirel Golan was found dead in her apartment on her 22nd birthday.

Source : X/@michalpeylan

A 22-year-old woman, who survived the deadly Hamas attack on Supernova music festival in Southern Israel on October 7, 2023, died by suicide on her birthday after a year-long struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The deceased, Shirel Golan, was found dead in her apartment on her 22nd birthday, according to a report in The Jerusalem Post. 

The report quoting her family said Golan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the horrific events at the festival on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israeli citizens, killing around 1,200 and kidnapping 250 people.

She was the youngest of five siblings and is survived by her parents and four brothers.

לפי משפחתה של שיראל גולן, שניצלה מהנובה, היא שמה קץ לחייה ביום הולדתה ה-22, בגלל מצוקה נפשית ופוסט טראומה שלא טופלה.

לא עסוקים בכלל במה הולך להיות כאן שנים קדימה, דור שלם של פצועים בנפש. לא רק קו ראשון של שורדי הזוועות, גם הלוחמים, גם המשפחות, המטפלים, וגם אזרחים ״פשוטים״ ש״רק״… pic.twitter.com/eRvZBmW0hQ

— Michal Peylan • מיכל פעילן (@michalpeylan) October 20, 2024

The family alleged that Golan didn't receive adequate assistance from the Israeli authorities to get her the necessary treatment to deal with her experiences.

According to Golan’s brother Eyal, she exhibited symptoms of PTSD, including seclusion and social withdrawal. Though her family encouraged her to seek treatment, Golan reported that she did not receive adequate assistance from state authorities. 

The report said that she was hospitalized twice at Lev Hasharon Hospital in Pardesiya, however, she was never officially recognized as a PTSD victim of the Nova massacre.

“The state killed Shirel. If the state doesn’t wake up, there will be more cases like this,” Eyal reportedly said. 

He further said that the state of Israel killed her sister twice, once in October, mentally, and physically for a second time on Sunday, on her 22nd birthday. He called on the authorities to increase awareness and improve treatment for trauma survivors.

Golan was among the thousands of partygoers who fled the Nova festival as Hamas militants attacked and killed attendees in October last year.

A few weeks after the Hamas attack, she began developing symptoms of PTSD, including disassociation and withdrawal.