Roei Moshe
Naama Mualem arrived at the Nova festival about an hour before the attack began. When the music stopped, she and three friends left and drove home, but were ambushed by terrorists. As they ducked, Naama was shot in the back and lost consciousness. Her friends rushed her to an ambulance at the Netivot junction, where she was pronounced dead
Naama Mualem
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On Friday evening, 28-year-old Naama Mualem, a lawyer, joined her parents at their home in Kibbutz Sde Nahum in the Beit She’an Valley for a holiday dinner. Her two brothers were also present. Later that night, she returned to her home in Rishon LeZion and spoke with her mother, Rachel, over the phone. At around 4:30 a.m., three of Naama’s friends picked her up, and the group set out for the Nova festival near Kibbutz Re’im. About an hour later, they park in the Re’im parking lot and join their friends at the party, shortly before sunrise
The attack from Gaza begins with a massive rocket barrage targeting all parts of Israel. Red alert sirens echo through the festival grounds, prompting the organisers to rush to the DJ booth and ask him to stop the music. A voice over the loudspeaker warns: “Red alert—get down on the ground, hands on your head.”
Naama knows her father, Roni, is awake and out at sea, fishing with friends. She calls to update him on the situation, and he urges her to leave immediately and return to her home in Rishon LeZion. Naama and her three friends get into the car and begin driving. She takes a seat in the back next to her friend Shai. In the front, Naor is at the wheel, with Yaki sitting beside him
Naama and her three friends drive away from the party, passing the Netivot junction and heading north on Route 34 toward Sderot and Yad Mordechai. Along the way, she sends a message to a friend—this would be the final sign of life from her
Between Moshav Yoshivia and Moshav Yakhini, Naama and her friends spot a white Toyota speeding toward them in the opposite direction of traffic. Ahead of them, a police vehicle suddenly halts in front of the oncoming car. Through the Toyota’s windows, they see the barrels of rifles and realise they are facing terrorists. The terrorists exit the vehicle and open fire on the police car. Naama and her friends duck for cover as the driver makes a sharp U-turn, but a bullet strikes their vehicle. Shai, Naama’s friend, notices she isn’t getting up and sees blood soaking the seat upholstery. Naama is unconscious, and Shai begins CPR as they rush back toward the Netivot junction
At the Netivot junction, Naama’s three friends spot an ambulance and security personnel. They stop and hand Naame over to the paramedics, who transfer her into the ambulance. Naama is among the first casualties to reach the site. An injured cyclist is also being boarded into the ambulance. It was later revealed that Naama showed no signs of life when she was boarded into the ambulance, and was eventually transferred to another vehicle, which continued to the Shura military base, where numerous bodies were gathered that day and in the days that followed. Believing she was being taken to the hospital, her friends took shelter in a public shelter at the junction. They remained there for several hours under heavy rocket fire before finally managing to drive to central Israel
Roni, Naama’s father, calls his wife Rachel to inform her that their son, who is a soldier on active duty, has been urgently called up. As events unfold across the country, Rachel attempts to reach Naama, but her calls go unanswered. Roni reassures her that he spoke with Naama and that she should be on her way home
Rachel and Roni continue trying to reach Naama. Her phone remains in the car, and as her three friends head toward central Israel, Roni calls—one of them answers and says, “Naama was shot in the back.” Roni then calls Rachel, asks her to sit down, and tells her what has happened. At this point, Naama’s location and condition remain unknown
Roni drives to Soroka Hospital, while Rachel and Raz, one of Naama’s two brothers, head to Kaplan and Barzilai hospitals. They move from room to room, examining each bed, but find no trace of Naama
During the night, Roni drives to the Lahav 433 police unit headquarters in Lod to provide a DNA sample. Rachel and Naama’s brother continue searching hospitals, describing Naama to the medical staff. In the early morning, Naama’s parents and brother return home without answers. They still do not know where she is or what has happened to her
Naama’s parents and siblings head south, hoping to uncover any clue that might lead them to her. They circulate a photo of Naama in various social media groups. After questioning several people, they piece together information about the cyclist who had been placed in the ambulance alongside Naama and discover that he is hospitalized at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon. The family arrives at the hospital after the cyclist emerges from surgery. Upon hearing them in the corridor, he asks for them to be brought into his room. He tells them that Naama had been placed in the ambulance with no signs of life and was never taken to the hospital
After three days of searching and agonizing uncertainty, the family receives official confirmation that Naama’s body has been identified. Shai Cohen, a close friend of Naama’s, shares an Instagram post recounting the events: “As we fled the party, a pickup truck carrying those cursed terrorists approached us… and began spraying our car with bullets. My poor Naama was shot in the back… and lost consciousness on the spot. How I loved you, my sister.”
Instagram Post by Shai Cohen, Naama’s Friend Who Was with Her in the Car
Naama Moallem and Shai Cohen
Naama is laid to rest in the cemetery at Kibbutz Sde Nahum. During the funeral, her family plays the song “Perach” (flower), performed by Yehuda Poliker, and dedicate it in her memory. She leaves behind her parents, Rachel and Roni, and her two brothers, Raz and Shai
Naama’s mother, Rachel, decides to pursue a master’s degree in law. Naama had been certified as a lawyer about a year before she was murdered and had opened an independent law firm with her brother Raz. For Rachel, it is a way to draw closer to her daughter and better understand her world
The family inaugurates a grove in Naama's name at Kibbutz Sde Nahum, where she was raised. They hold tree and flower planting events there, and at the centre of the grove stands her car, which had become closely associated with her and was affectionately nicknamed “The Frog” by those around her
המתחם האינטראקטיבי של מפת העוטף ב-7 באוקטובר 2023 נועד לתעד ולהנציח את האירועים שהתרחשו ביישובי עוטף עזה באמצעות תיעודים מזמן אמת, דקה אחר דקה.
הפרויקט בהליכי בנייה ותחקיר, בשלבים הבאים יתווספו נקודות רבות על המפה, לרבות בסיסי צה”ל, הרחבת אזורי המסיבות והדרכים המובילות לעוטף.
לפרטים נוספים וליצירת קשר לחצו כאן
אזהרה: התוכן מכיל תיאורים ותיעודים קשים לצפייה