May Hayat, 33, a survivor of the October 2023 Nova Festival attack in southern Israel, has traveled to London to share her firsthand account of witnessing violence and terror. According to the source report, Hayat witnessed Hamas terrorists kill a man before her eyes and narrowly escaped rape during the assault on the annual outdoor trance festival. The Nova Festival attack resulted in 413 deaths and 44 abductions, making it one of the deadliest single events in Israeli history.

The 413 deaths that defined October 7th's deadliest venue

The Nova Festival was not a military target or a government installation—it was a gathering of young Israelis at an outdoor music event near Re'im in southern Israel. According to the source, the attack killed 413 people and led to the abduction of 44 others. As the report notes, this single location accounted for a substantial portion of the casualties on October 7, 2023, the day Hamas launched a coordinated assault across Israel. The festival's open-air setting and the speed of the attack left attendees with few places to shelter or escape.

Hayat's account: witnessing murder and narrowly escaping assault

May Hayat's testimony centers on two moments of extreme violence. the source reports that she witnessed Hamas terrorists "savagely murder a man" in front of her, an image that has stayed with her since that day. Beyond that killing, the report indicates she "narrowly escaped rape" as the attackers moved through the festival grounds. These personal details anchor the broader horror of the event—not as statistics, but as lived trauma that survivors carry forward.

Hayat's resilience in the aftermath, according to the source, has shaped how she has chosen to process and share her experience. Rather than retreat from public view, she has become part of a survivor testimony effort, traveling to London to participate in an exhibition dedicated to documenting the atrocities of that day.

Why survivors are bringing their stories to London

The decision to mount an exhibition in London reflects a broader effort to ensure international awareness of the Nova Festival attack and its human toll. as the source reports, multiple survivors, including Hayat, have "arrived in London for an exhibition about the atrocities." This suggests a coordinated effort to move survivor testimony beyond Israel's borders and into the global public sphere. London, as a major media and cultural hub, provides a platform for these accounts to reach audiences who may have limited direct knowledge of the event or its survivors' experiences.

The exhibition model—combining personal testimony with visual documentation—allows survivors to control their own narratives rather than relying solely on journalistic or institutional accounts. Hayat's participation signals that some survivors view public testimony as part of their own healing and as a form of witness-bearing.

What remains unclear about survivor support and long-term recovery

The source provides Hayat's personal account and notes the existence of the London exhibition, but does not detail what psychological or material support survivors have received since October 2023, nor does it explain the exhibition's full scope, funding,or how many survivors are participating. The report also does not address whether Hayat or other survivors have received compensation, ongoing mental health services, or what organizations are coordinating the exhibition. These gaps leave open questions about the institutional response to survivor needs beyond testimony-gathering.