A survivor of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack at the Nova music festival has used music to channel her therapeutic journey and will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. Yuval Raphael, 24, has had no prior singing experience but won the top spot on the show “Rising Star” with her performances of “The Writings on the Wall” and “Dancing Queen,” which she dedicated to “all the angels” killed in the terrorist attack. Raphael began singing as a way to cope with the trauma she endured during the attack, which she experienced alongside four friends and 40 others who tried to hide in a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re’im. Hamas terrorists returned to the shelter repeatedly, opening fire on those hiding inside and throwing grenades.
Despite facing a potentially tough audience, Raphael emphasized her desire to “tell the story of the country, of what I went through, of what others went through” in her performance, without seeking pity. She referenced the pushback Israel has faced in international competitions since the attack and the country’s efforts to secure the competition against political criticism.
Israel’s entry, Yuval Raphael, faces challenges similar to those experienced by last year’s contestant, Eden Golan, who had to change the name of her song due to event officials’ concerns that it was too political.
