President Michael D Higgins has led the tributes to Kim Damti, a 22-year-old Irish-Israeli woman who has been confirmed dead after an attack by Hamas at a music festival in southern Israel.
In a post on social media, her sister Laura said: “With great sorrow and gloomy grief, I announce the killing of our angel, our flower, Kim, my blood, who was murdered by the cursed terrorists."
Her funeral will take place on Thursday at 5pm at the cemetery in Gedera, south of Tel Aviv.
The surprise attack by Hamas started at daybreak on Saturday with thousands of rockets fired into Israel and militants entering Israeli villages and murdering civilians.
Ms Damti was attending a music festival near the Gaza border when gunmen arrived at the site.
In an interview with ABC News on Monday, Kim's mother Jennifer Damti, who is originally from Portlaoise, said her daughter had phoned them shortly after.
“Kim didn’t realise there was like seven or eight Toyota vans full of terrorists and they just shot everywhere,” she said.
“They just shot them, slaughtered them like ducks, and that’s the reason I’m here, ’cause I want the world to condemn this behaviour.
“I didn’t bring my children up to hate anybody.
“You can’t sleep. All I can think about is where she is, if she’s suffering, if she’s still alive. I just want her back,” she said.
"The circumstances in which her life was taken, having travelled as she did to attend a music festival, are truly appalling," President Higgins said.
"It is not only those of us who are parents, but all of those who feel that young people should be free to attend events with their peers in conditions of safety, who will find such circumstances where a young life is taken so appalling.
"Kim's death once again reminds us what an outrageous breach of fundamental international law in conditions of conflict it is to target civilians in this way.
"May I send my deepest condolences to Kim's family, friends and all those with whom she shared her life.
"Suaimhneas síoraí dá hanam.”
Statement by President Higgins on the death of Kim Damti https://t.co/7gir8nnSSe
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) October 11, 2023
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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "As a nation we are united in mourning for Kim Damti. This vibrant young Irish-Israeli woman was struck down in her prime, with her adult life ahead of her. Her death, and the deaths of more than a thousand other citizens of Israel and from around the world, was senseless and barbaric.
"Kim gave happiness and joy to her family and those around her. As we learn of her death, we pause to think of her, her family in Israel and Ireland and of all those now grieving in countless other nations."
Laois-Offaly TD Barry Cowen said: “It is, of course, devastating news for Kim’s immediate family in Israel. And her extended family here in Laois in Ireland. We're thinking of them and we’re respecting their calls for privacy and sending them our prayers.
They are in our thoughts at such a horrible time for them and for the nation there in Israel, impacted by such a terribly brutal and revolting act of terrorism by these jihadist terrorist Hamas organisations. And just hope that peace will eventually prevail.”
Mr Cowen told Newstalk Breakfast that it was hard to comprehend that some TDs had not condemned the attack by Hamas on the music festival. “It’s hard to comprehend, to be quite honest. You know it's no different than the Electric Picnic being massacred and there's no whataboutery or justification that could be contemplated for such an act of total barbarism.
“There are issues that have arisen as a result, of course, of that. The first priority of international reaction is to ensure that all those impacted within the Gaza Strip presently. And I would hope that the powers that be within the UN and the EU will act and insist on that being the case."
The chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, Maurice Cohen has extended condolences on behalf of the Jewish community in Ireland with the family of Kim Damti.
“Although I never had the privilege of knowing her personally, the photos that I've seen online depict a vibrant young woman radiant with hope and joy. Her adventurous spirit comes through, and the zest for life there were evident. And it makes it all the more devastating to think of her life being taken away by terrorists,” he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.
“Kim, along with countless others, lost their lives during the Peace Music Festival in Israel and in nearby kibbutzim. And the thoughts of now 1,300 individuals, I understand, including men, women and children being targeted while enjoying a music event, observing religious traditions is just heart-wrenching. This was the Sabbath, a day of rest for many Jews and also the last day of such a joyous festival.
“We are traumatised by these events here in the community, and I suppose Kim's death alongside so many others. It just underscores the urgent need for peace and the inherent value of human life. The terrorists responsible for this act, driven by what can only be described as a malevolent ideology, have shown a blatant disregard for these values. And their actions and beliefs are in stark contrast to the principles of peace and coexistence. And it's imperative, really imperative that our leaders of the Dáil and Seanad unequivocally condemn such acts; anything less could be perceived as tacit approval.”
Mr Cohen said that most Irish people of the Jewish faith will have family and friends in Israel. “We have also a large growing Israeli population here, too. My wife's cousin, whose mother lived here in Dublin, Terenure, until she was in her twenties, her and her son, my wife's cousin, his sister in law, was found murdered in the last two days.
“Even though we try not to imagine the barbarity, we cannot always succeed. And though we try to think that we are safe in Ireland, our homeland, where most of us were born, we cannot always succeed. And though we want to give one last hug everybody to those that were murdered and those that were slaughtered. We definitely cannot succeed in that.” - Additional reporting from Vivienne Clarke
