Since the October 7 Hamas attack on a music festival near Gaza, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are slowly returning to normal. Though there are still tense moments with gunfire at borders every few minutes, life for civilians in these cities is getting back to normal without major disruptions from the conflict.
Families are back outside with their children, commuters are back to their regular travel routines, and nightlife is lively once more in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Despite this return to daily life, prayers continue for the hostages still held by Hamas terrorists.
A devastating attack occurred at the Supernova Sukkot Gathering, an open-air music festival during the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret near kibbutz Re’im, Israel on 7 October.
Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip launched a surprise attack on the music festival, targeting Israeli civilians. The attack was part of a larger series of massacres targeting Israeli civilians in villages adjacent to the Gaza Strip. The open-air Tribe of Nova music festival was a popular event that attracted thousands of people.
The heavily armed Palestinian militants killed at least 364 people with many injured and took over 40 hostages, many of whom are still held in Gaza.
Posters with messages demanding the release of hostages have been displayed across Tel Aviv, starting from the airport. In Tel Aviv, headquarters have been established to support families affected by the Hamas kidnappings.
Former diplomats, doctors, psychologists, and other Israelis have united to support hostage families. A private company in Tel Aviv has provided office space across three floors for these efforts. Restaurants display supportive messages for the victims, and office buildings have posters urging for the safe return of the hostages.
Beaches and popular markets in Tel Aviv are busy again with locals enjoying nightlife, but there are few tourists visiting. The tourism industry has suffered significantly since the attack. In Jerusalem, many shops, even in tourist spots, are closed due to the lack of visitors.
According to Bilal Abu Khalaf, a shop owner in Jerusalem, they are offering a 50% discount on all items because there are no tourists. The attack will go down in Israeli history as the country’s worst civilian massacre.
