24-year-old Hamas attack survivor will represent Israel at Eurovision

TEL AVIV — A survivor of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Switzerland in May.

Yuval Raphael, 24, won first place in a singing contest on Israeli television that determines Israel’s entry to Eurovision, a pan-continental pop extravaganza. She won with a performance of the Swedish group ABBA’s pop hit “Dancing Queen,” which she dedicated to the victims of the attack.

Raphael survived the Nova music festival in southern Israel as Hamas-led terrorists stormed the event, killing hundreds and taking many hostage. She has testified in the Israeli parliament about her experience on Oct. 7, 2023. She described hiding from gunmen under piles of dead bodies for eight hours, and said “I’m going to deal with this thing for the rest of my life.”

The U.N.’s migration agency said Thursday it sent its first convoy of trucks into the Gaza Strip since a ceasefire began, carrying materials for shelters as well as water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to provide relief for approximately 10,000 people.

The International Organization for Migration said it sent trucks from Jordan to Gaza carrying 13,000 sleeping mats, 11,000 mattresses, 11,000 blankets, 10,000 pillows with pillowcases, 2,000 plastic sheets, and 1,200 hygiene kits.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Thursday that Israel would not compromise on its objectives of dismantling Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, and that there were no guarantees for the success of the three-phase ceasefire.

Speaking alongside his Hungarian counterpart in Budapest, Hungary, Saar said Hamas leaders had declared their intent to carry out more attacks on Israel similar to the deadly raids on Oct. 7, 2023, and could therefore not be allowed to retain any military capabilities.

“They are committed to the idea of eliminating the Jewish state,” Saar said. “Israel will not accept Hamas’ rule in Gaza. As long as Hamas remains in power, there will be no peace, security or stability in the Middle East.”

Additionally, Israel may seek to delay pulling all of its troops out of southern Lebanon, which would violate the terms of a ceasefire it signed with the terrorist group Hezbollah.

An Israeli government spokesperson said Thursday that Israel wants the ceasefire agreement to endure, however he hinted that the Lebanese army wasn’t deploying fast enough to secure areas.

“There is movement but it is not moving fast enough,” said David Mencer.

Under the ceasefire deal from November, Hezbollah and Israel are both supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by Sunday to allow the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers to provide security.

Israel’s military also said Thursday it was still finding Hezbollah arms caches in southern Lebanon, including rockets, rifles and ammunition.

Meanwhile, Israel’s prime minister says Elon Musk is being unfairly criticized over his straight-arm gesture earlier this week that many social media users said the gesture looked like a Nazi salute.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Musk has been “falsely smeared.” He described the world’s richest man as a “great friend of Israel.”