Israel
Heroic police officer credited with saving 500 people from festival breaks down in tears
Yigal Singer was interviewed from his hospital bed by Israeli media and expressed his anguish that he did not rescue more people
October 12, 2023 11:49
Yigal Singer was interviewed from his hospital bed by Israeli media and expressed his anguish that he did not rescue more people
October 12, 2023 11:49An Israeli policeman credited with saving 500 people from the Supernova festival has been hailed as a hero.
Yigal Singer led a convoy of 100 civilian cars to enable terrified festival-goers to flee on Saturday, when Hamas terrorists murdered at least 260 young people in their assault on the dance music event, Israel's Channel 12 reported.
The revellers had been celebrating the end of Succot at the outdoor rave in the Negev desert, near Kibbutz Re’im, a few miles from Gaza.
When Singer turned back to try to save more, he was injured, and managed to find an escape route. Crying from his hospital bed, the policeman reportedly said: “I could have saved more.”
Around 3,500 people attended the all-night event on the Friday, at which DJs from around the world performed.
Early on Saturday morning, festival-goers were gunned down by terrorists, many of whom had infiltrated the site by paragliding, with many people kidnapped and taken to Gaza and still missing.
Singer's heroism was commended as numerous other acts of courage emerged. Israeli Inbar Lieberman, 25, is credited with saving the community of kibbutz Nir Am when she led a group of residents in killing 25 terrorists who were infiltrating the site.
Lieberman, the kibbutz security coordinator, heard explosions erupting early on Saturday when Hamas launched the deadly attack. According to Israeli media she raced to the town's armoury, equipped her 12-member team with weapons and directed their response to the unfolding attack.
Noa Beer, who grew up in the UK before moving to Tel Aviv, survived the Supernova festival attack and helped three others flee too.
As she escaped the attack in her car, the 29-year-old Beer stopped to help injured victims crawling toward the vehicle, including a woman who had been shot in the leg, she told the BBC.
"I have so many friends whose parents have no idea where they are, so many people who have lost their lives," Beer said.
"The world needs to know that these are people of love and peace and happiness who just came to party and were murdered with no way to defend themselves.
"I'm the lucky one."
Rescue agency Zaka has said its workers have recovered more than 260 bodies from the festival site.