Eurovision: Hamas assault survivor Yuval Raphael to symbolize Israel

Yuval Raphael, who survived a Hamas assault in 2023, has been chosen to symbolize Israel at this yr’s Eurovision Music Contest.

Raphael, 24, was at the Nova musical festival on 7 October 2023, when Hamas attackers killed 360 younger partygoers and took 40 extra hostage.

The newbie singer was attending with pals and says she survived by hiding underneath lifeless our bodies inside a bomb shelter for eight hours.

Raphael has been sharing her story whereas competing on Israeli expertise present HaKokhav HaBa (The Subsequent Star) and successful it means she will get to compete at Eurovision in Basel, Switzerland in Could.

She stated after successful the present: “I am unable to clarify how excited and prepared I’m! Thanks for giving me this big honour and trusting me to symbolize my nation on the grand Eurovision stage in Switzerland.”

Raphael, who says she nonetheless has shrapnel in her head and leg from the competition assault, solely started singing professionally final yr.

In the course of the closing of the music competitors, she sang a model of ABBA’s Dancing Queen, dedicating it to “all of the angels” who had been killed on the competition.

She additionally advised viewers that “music is likely one of the strongest substances in my therapeutic course of” through the present.

Raphael, who’s fluent in English and French in addition to Hebrew, has taken half in advocacy for Israel over the past yr, together with talking to the UN Human Rights Council about her expertise of surviving the assault.

Her official tune shall be revealed within the coming weeks by Israeli public broadcaster Kan, in keeping with the Eurovision Song Contest website.

Final yr’s winner of The Subsequent Star, Eden Golan, represented Israel at Eurovision with Hurricane, which got here fifth within the competitors.

The present beforehand chosen Netta, who won Eurovision in 2018 and Noa Kirel, who got here third in 2023.

Golan’s Eurovision entry was met with criticism, because it was Israel’s first time acting at Eurovision because the outbreak of its most up-to-date warfare within the Center East.

Her workforce had been additionally compelled to change the lyrics and identify of Golan’s tune – from October Rain to Hurricane – after it was seen to interrupt guidelines on political neutrality.

There have been a number of campaigns to dam Israel from collaborating altogether, however the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which hosts the occasion, dominated Israel was allowed to compete.

Golan was booed whilst performing at a dress rehearsal for the competitors, which came about in Malmo, Sweden and confined to her resort room when she wasn’t performing, attributable to threats of hurt to the Israeli delegation.

Israel and Gaza are currently upholding a ceasefire after 15 months of combating, which started in October 2023 after Hamas gunmen breached Israel’s Gaza perimeter fence at a number of places and attacked close by Israeli communities, IDF bases and a music competition.

About 1,200 individuals had been killed and 251 had been taken hostage.

The IDF responded by launching an air and floor marketing campaign in Gaza, throughout which greater than 47,100 Palestinians have been killed, in keeping with the territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry.