Veronika, a resident of Zelenograd, is seeking information about her missing cousin, Mark, who disappeared after a terrorist attack in Israel. Mark was at the Nova festival, targeted by Hamas terrorists. There has been no contact with him since 6 a.m. on October 7, as Veronika told 7x7 on October 10.
Veronika lives in the Moscow region while her cousin is an Israeli citizen. Mark had made special arrangements, altering his flight plans, to attend the Nova festival, which was meant to be a "celebration of friendship and love." However, the event became one of the primary targets during the terrorist attack on the morning of October 7.
Currently, Mark's whereabouts remain unknown. His last communication was a response to a message from his mother, Yulia, at 6 a.m. on October 7. Subsequent messages to his account were read but not responded to. Phone calls went unanswered.
Israeli authorities have officially designated Mark as missing and informed Yulia that they are in the process of identifying the bodies of 250 victims at the festival. Yulia has arrived from the United States, where she currently resides, to Israel to provide DNA for the identification process.
Veronika says, "Medics advised us to contact hospitals, where unidentified patients might still be receiving treatment. My aunt and her friends are making calls constantly. The only consolation is that Mark has already served in the military and should know how to handle emergencies."
The family is now monitoring news updates and reviewing videos from the scene in the hope of spotting Mark among the survivors. Veronika has reached out to friends for help in reviewing the videos.
"I have many friends there. It's incredibly stressful, in addition to searching for my brother. I constantly feel a lump in my throat and nausea. Even the antidepressants aren't helping. I can't fathom how Yulia is holding up," Veronika says.
Veronika’s colleagues in Moscow have expressed support for the Hamas attack on Israel. She says that for them, "Israel is the enemy, and Ukraine is seen as a cancerous tumor."
"I understand that there are many Muslims in Russia who harbor resentment towards Israel, and for them, what's happening may be a cause for celebration. It's perplexing that they support the fight against Nazism in Ukraine but enthusiastically endorse the harm inflicted on the people of Israel, a nation that suffered greatly during the last century's fascism," the young woman says.
On the morning of October 7, the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas launched an attack on Israel, firing rockets and taking control of the Erez crossing. Videos emerged showing the mistreatment of captured Israeli military personnel and civilians. In response, Israel announced retaliatory strikes on Hamas targets, including the Gaza Strip, and declared a state of emergency in the country. As of Tuesday, the casualty count in Israel exceeded 900 dead and more than 2.6 thousand injured, including four deceased Russians. Meanwhile, reports indicated that the death toll in the Gaza Strip had surpassed 830 people.
