'Worried every second': Israeli woman's loved ones agonize over her kidnapping by Hamas
Inbar Haiman's Saturday of trance music on Oct. 7 was supposed to segue to a trip to Egypt for her and boyfriend Noam Alon. But carnage would mark the day when Hamas attackers mowed down 260 festivalgoers at the Supernova Sukkat Gathering.
The 27-year-old’s loved ones are grasping at what little they have heard about Haiman’s whereabouts — video released by Hamas of her bloody and unconscious but breathing, and eyewitness accounts of her abduction.
Alon, 24, did not attend the festival with Haiman, who was there as an art vendor. He woke up to the news of the massacre, unsure for hours of what had happened to Haiman.
"I'm worried every second since it’s happened," Alon told The Arizona Republic in a phone interview from Israel.
Hamas' assault on the festival near the Gaza border in southern Israel was part of a broader sneak attack by the militant group against the country on a day deemed by President Joe Biden as the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust. Haiman is among the 203 people in Israel that Hamas has seized as hostages since that day.
'No one can comprehend the situation'
A hostage taker on a motorcycle snatched Haiman as she tried hiding during the rampage, her family learned from two Israeli men who managed to escape.
Haiman’s parents remain "in shock," her brother, Ido Haiman, 24, told The Republic in a phone call from Israel, adding "No one can comprehend the situation to the fullest."
The family has been steeped in prayer during this crisis, the younger brother said.
"Every breath that she breathed, it was for people," Ido Haiman said of the sister he knew before the kidnapping, mentioning she was a volunteer teacher at a dual language school that included Arab children as pupils.
By Wednesday afternoon, more than 1,400 Israelis and more than 3,000 Palestinians had been killed in the Israel-Hamas War. Israel is expected to send ground troops into the northern part of Gaza, a move that has prompted concern for the well-being and safety of those held hostage by Hamas.
"I hope Inbar and all the other hostages are released by a deal and not a military mission," Alon said.
Visual communications students in college, Haiman and Alon fell in love soon after meeting. The couple, who reside in the northern Israel port city of Haifa, were to take an excursion to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt the day after the festival. They would then commence their final year of undergrad studies this week.
But now, "all the life in Israel seems to be stopped," Alon said.
'Very strong young woman'
Haiman is a happy and energetic person, her close friend, Naomi Goldenstien, 26, said on the phone with The Republic from Haifa. Goldenstein has had trouble sleeping since Haiman’s kidnapping and was close to suffering a panic attack when she managed to identify her friend of nine years on the Hamas video.
"We don't know if she's alone or if she's with other people, what they're telling her. We know that it's (a) tough situation, but she's (a) very, very strong young woman," Goldenstein said. "I'm sure she would have the strength to deal with whatever she has to deal (with), but we're very worried about what can happen to her."
After injuring her leg during a gymnastics trick a year and a half ago, Goldenstein leaned on Haiman’s strength. Relying on crutches to get to class while carrying art supplies, Goldenstein considered dropping out of the semester. But Haiman ensured the fellow visual communications student kept up with her studies.
"She literally carried me around campus so I could make it to my classes," Goldenstein said.
Haiman is a graffiti artist who creates under the street name Pink. The rallying cry "Free Pink!" was painted in white lettering on an approximately 820-foot-long pink mural on the Ono Interchange in central Israel.
Those closest to Haiman, Goldenstein said, are confident she is alive. Goldenstein said Israeli media have been releasing names of those who have died in the conflict and Haiman has not been announced as a victim.
"I really hope to see her again very soon," Alon, the boyfriend, said.
'We should not be afraid... we should unite'
Since the Oct. 7 attacks, the Jewish community in Arizona has been outspoken, rallying in support of Israel, demanding the release of the hostages and pushing for an end to the war.
Valley Rabbi Schmuly Yanklowitz said the Jewish community in Arizona has felt unsafe and worried about the potential increase in hate acts or terrorist attacks on a local level.
"We know that violence against the Jews around the world right now is increasing rapidly, and we've seen plenty of antisemitism here in the Valley already, prior to this, and it's only going to increase," Yanklowitz said.
He said people within the community have reported people driving past them screaming slurs, and they have heard increased antisemitic jokes in recent days.
"We're all just in pastoral mode supporting each other because everyone's affected," Yanklowitz said. "We should not be afraid, and we should unite, for humanitarian relief, and for peace."
He added the community has been in constant communication with each other and many have organized to patrol congregation places and elementary schools, Yanklowitz said. He advised members of the community to keep reporting any threats they see or experience.
Yanklowitz also extended a message to the Palestinian and Muslim communities in Arizona.
"We're not enemies, we should come together and support each other. We should be ambassadors for peace and justice together," Yanklowitz said. "We can also pray for Palestinian civilians, even while we're working to dismantle Hamas' terror network. They're very different things. There are innocent Palestinians, and we should support them."
Republic reporter Laura Daniella Sepúlveda contributed to this article.
Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @jrgzztx.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Israeli woman's loved ones agonize over her kidnapping by Hamas
