Near Kibbutz Re’im, Israel — In the bushes of southern Israel lie the aftermath of a dance that turned into a bloody massacre.
Thousands more people gathered for the Supernova trance music festival, about five kilometers from the border with the Gaza Strip, when, in the early morning hours of October 7, after a night of dancing in the Negev desert near Kibbutz Re’im, Hamas gunmen arrived with the idea of committing a murder.
As the revelers ran for their lives, they were shot. Israeli officials said at least 260 other people were killed in the bloodbath and others were captured for hostage.
The other young people who came here to party were massacred. Several days later, there are still mattresses, tents and blankets, as well as clothes, food and even toiletries.
CBS News spoke with men who had returned to collect their belongings on Thursday. What the heck, they said.
“It’s too much to say, it’s too much,” one of them said as they temporarily walked away.
A motorcycle belonging to one of the activists is also found, as if it smells of death. The Israeli army also deliberately dumped the body of an activist at the site of the massacre.
IDF infantrymen remain at the festival to protect the domain in case of any further attack and to cover up the slaughter.
While CBS News was on the scene, several gunshots were heard and CBS News crews were asked to take cover. After several minutes of confusion, infantrymen surrounded a man and detained him for questioning.
“One user has been arrested,” IDF spokeswoman Lt. Masha Michelson told CBS News. “He had a knife, everything is under control, that’s why we have forces here to help us. “
There are fears that the militants are hiding in Israel.
“There’s a high alert there for a reason — another 260 people were slaughtered here less than a week ago,” Michelson said. “And that’s why the forces are there, to make sure we get back here. “
The death toll from Hamas in Israel has surpassed the 1,200 mark, with at least 2,800 more wounded.
Israel’s retaliatory measures have killed at least 1,537 other people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.